The First Time
by DixieDavenport
Summary: This was orignally posted as a one shot reply to a challage, but is expandable. This is about phone call in the middle of the night and everyone in the Duke family's 'First Time' at dealing with such things.
1. Chapter 1

This started out as a reply to a challenge on DOHFF. It recently found it's way out of the closet and I'm thinking of adding to it. The challenge was to take the first paragraph and make it into a story. Here is the one shot reply to that challenge. Please read and review and let me know if you want it taken further....

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The First Time

_The phone rang at two o'clock in the morning. It never rang at two in the morning for anything...except bad news. And Lord, this was no different.... _

Jesse Duke answered the phone only to hear the voice of one Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. "Jesse?"

Jesse Duke the family patriarch did a mental count of his family. Bo had been in the house on time, just as Jesse was going to bed. He had heard Daisy come in a bit later, due to her closing at the Boar's Nest tonight. That left Luke who was the oldest and had turn 18 only weeks ago. "Yes, Rosco it's me."

Rosco P. Coltrane had been a friend of the Dukes longer than he'd been Sheriff of Hazzard County which is why this made this particular phone call harder than most such calls. "Ummmm, ..... Jesse, ....."

Jesse snapped, "Rosco just get on with what ever you have got on your mind in the middle of the night."

"Ummm, yeah, ..... well, ..... Ok, ...." Rosco stuttered, then said, "Jesse, it's Luke."

Jesse was now not in the mood to play games with the dim witted Sheriff. "Go on Rosco! What is it about Luke?"

Rosco scratched the back of his neck and replied, "There was a race out by the lake......."

Jesse said, "AND!?"

Rosco ducked at the sudden loudness of Jesse voice, "Ummmmm, Jesse, Luke was racing. By the time I got there, he and Ralph Green were fighting." Rosco waited for Jesse to reply.

Jesse remained silent waiting on the next shoe to fall.

Rosco finally added, "Jesse, Luke had been drinking."

Jesse stiffened at the added information. "I see." Jesse said without emotion.

Rosco added, "Jesse I had no choice but to arrest him and impound the car."

Jesse said in a voice just above a whisper, "I understand." then asked, "So, what do I need to do?"

Rosco explained that Luke would be taken before the Judge in the morning for a bond to be set. If Jesse bonded him out, he'd be free to go home until the court hearing.

Jesse replied, "I see. Exactly what are the charges?"

Rosco picked up his paper work that he would give the Judge in the morning and read, "Racing, Fighting, and Driving Under the Influence."

Jesse nodded without reply. After a long silence he said, "I'll be there first thing in the morning." As he turned around he saw four young eyes looking at him full of questions.

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Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Luke looked at his sock feet against the coolness of the cement floor. Even though it would soon be June the cement, steel, cinder block and bricks held the coldness. He had been certain, especially after his last birthday that this day, well night, would come. Luke knew Rosco was lookign to catch him either hauling shine or preventing him from doing so. He knew it would be bad if he got caught doing something he shouldn't be doing, however he didn't know how bad it would be.

For starters, Rosco had gotten his attention as he fought with Ralph Green by firing his pearl handled pistol into the air. Luke couldn't remember ever seeing Rosco draw the gun out of it's hostler. Being that Luke was on top of Ralph at that moment, it was no wonder that he was the first to be none to gently 'helped' to his feet by Rosco. Funny thing was it actually felt as if he'd came off the ground for just a split second as the long time family friend and Sheriff managed just one quick extra jerk to 'get his attention'.

Luke was pretty certain he had faired better at the hands of the Sheriff than he would have at his Uncle's had Jesse walked up right about then. Being one of the finest Sheriff's in the state, Rosco reached for his handcuffs and Luke was cuffed before he knew what had happened. That was until he felt the cold steel 'bite' into his wrists that were currently locked in place behind his back.

Luke watched as Ralph was given much the same treatment by Rosco, without the 'attention getting' jerk though.

"Alright, boys." Rosco began, "You are under arrest for fighting. Get a call ya'll been up here racing and I find a fight!"

Luke noticed that as Rosco looked at him he looked down right 'disappointed' in him.

Ralph was a few bricks shy of a load and stated as he fought the handcuffs, "That's what started this! He cheated and put me in the ditch!"

Luke couldn't believe that the man could be so stupid, then he thought about it. Yes, he could believe it!

Rosco danged near chuckled and likely would have if one of Jesse's nephews wasn't standing before him wearing his cuffs. He looked around and saw Ralph's car no where near a ditch but it did have body damage. He then looked at the primer black Ford Torino that Luke had been known to have been working on for some time now. It showed some minor damage to it's body also. "But the car ain't in the ditch."

"No, it's not." Luke said more calmly than he felt at the moment. He'd like just another minute to 'settle' this with Ralph without witnesses! He knew what he was going to say wouldn't help him at all, but Ralph had already said they had been racing. "That's because after he tried to put **me** in the ditch and lost control of that thing, I came back and got him out of the ditch. And the 'thanks' I got was to be jumped!"

Rosco was surprised that Luke would admit all that, but what surpised him most was what he smelled as the Duke shot off his mouth admitting his 'sins'. He had to know, "Luke? Have you been drinking?"

Not thinking it through, Luke replied, "Some."

Rosco shook his head, "Let's go boys." He placed a hand on each of the boys and headed toward his patrol car.

Being put in the back of Rosco's patrol car wasn't fun especially with his hands cuffed behind his back and being beside Ralph Green. Luke did at least get some satisfaction that Ralph was at least along for the ride since he had started the entire chain of events. If Luke thought getting in the car wasn't pleasant, getting out was a real pain and not just in his wrists.

Inside the Booking Room of the Hazzard Courthouse Rosco put both 'boys' still cuffed in the holding cell until he got out his paperwork. The clang of the cell door sent a shiver from Luke's head to his toes and back again. After getting the paperwork and locking the outside door to the office, Rosco went to the holding cell and said, "Luke come over to the desk." As he briefly unlocked the cell door.

Luke was more than happy to step out from behind the locked bars and took the seat Rosco indicated while still wearing the cuffs. Rosco began asking questions of Luke to get him booked in. "Name?"

Luke gave Rosco a look of disbelief. "Rosco! You have got to be kiding! You have known me since I was born."

"Procedure." Rosco said sternly. He hoped that giving Luke the 'full treatment' would make him think twice next time. "Your name?"

"Luke Duke." Luke replied.

Rosco shook his head. The boy was gonna be stubborn, "Your given name?"

Ralph looked up from the booking cell. He had always thought that was Luke's name.

"Like it really would make a difference." Luke fumed still feeling the effects of the beer he drank prior to Rosco's arrival.

Rosco waited while giving the young man a hard look, "This is official Luke. You aren't ten and just broke a window by accident."

Luke seen the look he was getting from Rosco and knew the night was going to be long anyway so he may as well answer him, "Lucas K. Duke."

"The 'K' is for?" Rosco said as he wrote Lukes name down.

Sighing Luke said, "Keith."

"Address?" Rosco said.

"Rt 2, Box 23 Hazzard." Luke said trying not to sigh. He knew Rosco knew this.

"Phone number?" Rosco asked.

Luke knew that Rosco knew everything he had been asked but replied, "555-1234." He answered the rest of Rosco's questions to get this over with and get the danged cuffs off him.

Rosco gathered his papers together and stood up, "Luke come with me." He indicated that Luke should go down stairs.

As Luke reached the bottom of the stairs he seen the two cells to the left of the room. He stopped in front of the closest one.

Rosco pointed to the other side of the room across from where the desk was as he locked the gate behind them and pocketed the keys.

As Luke crossed the room he saw a small shower area across from the desk.

Rosco reached in a file cabnit and took out a folded orange piece of clothing. He then stepped to unlock Luke's wrists.

Luke couldn't help the automatic reaction to rub his wrists where the cuffs had been.

Rosco began in an all business tone, "Take off your boots, knife, and belt." He reached for a bag and put Luke's official name on it.

"Rosco! You can't be serious." Luke said.

Rosco was very serious. The last thing he wanted was for a 'kid' just barely 18 to start thinking stupid thoughts and hurt himself in his jail. "It's not an option. I want your boots, knife, belt and any jewelry you are wearing to put up for safe keepin'."

Luke swore and none too quietly but he complied and gave Rosco the items.

"Now, take off your clothes down to yur underwear and put these on." Rosco said as he handed Luke the orange outfit.

Luke glared at him, took the outfit and unfolded the orange coveralls with the words, 'Hazzard County' and a large letter 'P' on it. "This is going too far Rosco."

Rosco again gave the young man a look, "You put yourself here Luke. I'm only doing my job."

Luke sighed and swore again as he undressed and put on the coveralls.

Rosco put Luke's jeans and shirt in another bag with his name on it and crossed the room to unlock the cell.

The sound of the tumblers even unlocking was unnerving to Luke. He saw Rosco waiting on him. He crossed the room and stepped inside the cell. Luke hadn't even had time to turn around as he heard the door clang shut and obviously lock behind him. There it was again the shiver that ran from Luke's head to his toes and back again. He tried to shake it off as he turned to see Rosco getting a second set of coveralls. Luke knew at least that Ralph was going to get the same treatment and that Rosco wasn't going out of his way to give him a hard way to go. "What about a phone call?"

Rosco replied, "You seen how long it took with you and I've still got to get him booked. But, I will call the farm for you."

Luke actually hadn't looked forward to talking to Jesse so the fact that Rosco would be dealing with him made Luke feel better at least temporarily. He knew he'd have to deal with Jesse sooner or later, but later, at the moment, worked. "Thanks Rosco."

Rosco relocked the gate after going through it and started upstairs to book Ralph.

Luke was standing at the bars looking at his sock feet against the coolness of the cement floor. He was alone in the downstairs of the Hazzard Courthouse, better known as the Hazzard Jail. Deciding that he may as well check out his surroundings. He turned around and saw the metal bunk with what was supposed to be a mattress, fire proof of course, a simaliar pillow and 2 blankets folded on the end of the bunk and a toilet/sink combo in the far corner. At the back of the cell was one small barred window. Luke walked to the window and looked out at the stillness of Hazzard Square in the late night hours. There wasn't even a light on at the garage, of course there was no reason for there to be, after all Cooter had the wrecker that night up at the lake. It wouldn't have taken him any time at all to hook to Luke's and Ralph's cars and tucked them safely away in the impound yard behind the garage. Luke knew all about that as he'd helped Cooter tow a fair amount of vehicles to the lot for impound or repair.

Luke was still starring out the window as Rosco came back down sometime later with Ralph's clothes and items.

"I called Jesse. He said that he'd be here in the morning." Rosco informed Luke.

Luke shook his head, "Appreciate that." He wanted to asked if Jesse had said anything else or if Rosco could gauge how mad Jesse was, but he knew Jesse wouldn't let on much if any to Rosco. Nope, he'd save it for Luke himself.

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Please review it helps the imagination.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to Bethie88 who took a bit of a 'vacation' here in Hazzard with us for this chapter. She largely helped me with a 16 YO Bo's feelings in this chapter. To give her credit for her time and effort her parts are in bold. This should let it stand out but not be too distracting. Thanks again for reading and to those that review.

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Chapter 3

Jesse saw the questions in Bo and Daisy's eyes as he took a deep breath and prepared himself to answer them while also attempting to control his own emotions about the situation.

**Before Jesse got a chance to start to explain, Bo spoke up. "Uncle Jesse, what's wrong? Where's Luke?"**

**Jesse raised his eyebrows at his blonde nephew. "Now wait just a cotton pickin' minute, Bo..."**

**Bo had already started off on a tangent, and there was no stopping him now. "Uncle Jesse," he said, noting the worry in his Uncle's eyes. "Luke didn't come home, did he? Is he all right?" And before Jesse got a chance to answer, Bo was back down the hall looking for his jeans and his set of truck keys. He was gonna go to town and find Luke.**

"Luke?" Daisy questioned and looked around. "He's not home?"

Jesse put his hand up to stop her before she got too excited. "Bo get back here." His voice wasn't loud but left no room questioning him.

Bo came back jeans one hand and keys in the other.

Jesse gave them both a look as he pulled out his chair. "Set down both of you. No, Daisy, Luke is not home. That was Rosco........"

His sentence never got finished as **Bo butted in again. "Rosco? Uncle Jesse, did Luke have a wreck? Is he hurt?"**

**Jesse stared at his nephew in momentary shock that anybody could put that many words into the amount of time that Bo had just crammed them into. "Luke is fine." His tone was firm.**

Daisy gasped at the thoughts Bo had just put in her head.

"Luke is fine." Jesse repeated, then added almost as a whisper, "Least wise until I get him home." Then he began again, "That was Rosco calling to tell me that Luke won't be home tonight......" He saw the confusion in Daisy's eyes but both of his kids held their peace for now anyway. Jesse continued, "He's fine but in jail."

**"In JAIL?" Bo demanded. "What on earth for?"**

"**Now, Bo, just simmer down JUST a minute," Jesse began.**

"**Uncle Jesse, why is Luke in jail?" Daisy asked, much more meekly than her cousin.**

**Jesse paused. If they'd slow down just minute, he'd have the chance to tell them** and said as much. "If you two would slow down just a minute I'd tell ya."

"Slow down! I ain't got time to slow down, Uncle Jesse. We got to go get him." Bo said as he put his jeans and boots on while still standing in the kitchen.

"Bo!" Jesse said in a no nonsense tone. "There is no point in going to town tonight. Luke is there until he sees Judge Hardcastle tomorrow morning."

**Bo's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Uncle Jesse, we gotta get him out of there one way or another... It ain't right!"**

**Daisy was inclined to agree with Bo's assessment, but wasn't nearly as loud as her cousin. "Uncle Jesse, why can't we go get him out? I feel just awful thinkin' about poor Luke stuck in jail all night..."**

**Bo nodded in agreement, already headed toward the door. "I'll get him out if I have to blow the door off the cell myself!"**

"Beauregard!" Jesse said sternly. "Set down."

Daisy nearly ducked just at Jesse's tone of voice.

**Hearing his full name was enough to slow Bo down a bit. He turned to his uncle, but raised his chin in defiance. "I don't mean no disrespect to ya, Uncle Jesse, but I'm goin' to get Luke."**

Jesse said low and calm, "No you are not, Bo. You are going to set down right there and listen to me."

**Bo knew enough to fear that tone as much as, if not more than, the loud one Jesse had used before. He didn't like it, but the blonde sat down besides his cousin, and looked up at his uncle.**

Jesse said, "Rosco had to do his job, he got a call and had no choice but to arrest Luke."

**"What was Luke doin'?" Bo asked, his tone much subdued from before****.**

"According to Rosco he got a report of racin' up by the lake. When he got there Luke was in a fight and had been racing." Jesse didn't want to tell the rest of it at least until he talked to Luke. He added, "This isn't as simple as it used to be Bo. Rosco can't just pick Luke up and call me to come get him anymore. There is now a legal process he has to go through before he come home now."

**Bo was confused. "Why not, Uncle Jesse? We all get in fights sometimes... We ain't never got in that much trouble before."**

Jesse took a deep breath and tried to think how to explain all this. "I've always taught you two that fightin' was wrong, but just like racin' off track it is illegal too."

Daisy looked really worried, "Luke won't have to stay in jail will he Uncle Jesse?"

Bo hadn't even thought of that possibility and said, "No, Daisy!" then he looked at Jesse, "Will he?"

Jesse saw two sets of very innocent eyes looking at him for answers. "Luke and me have talked. He knew to mind his "P's" and "Q's" after he turned 18. I told him Rosco was looking for a way to arrest him, but it looks like he didn't have to look too far tonight. As for staying in jail, ....." Jesse sighed, "What happened tonight is still pretty minor stuff, but that doesn't mean that it's not gonna cost a bit to get Luke home on bond until his court date."

**Bo and Daisy looked at each other in shock. "Uncle Jesse!" Bo exclaimed. "We don't have that kinda money... I mean, we do all right, but there ain't a lot of extra."**

**Daisy turned to her uncle. "I can pick up extra shifts at the Boar's Nest if it'll help..."**

**Bo nodded. "And I can ask Miz Tizdale if there's any work in town... She always seems to know all the odd jobs around..."**

Jesse replied, "I got some money put back and after Luke goes to court I'll get it back. Then, he'll likely have to come up with a nice fine for his actions. That is if he's lucky."

"Lucky?" Daisy asked, "What do you mean?"

Bo frowned not liking what Jesse was saying.

"With Luke's charges after he goes to court, ......." Jesse began.

**Bo looked confused for a moment before he caught Jesse's meaning. "You don't mean Luke could end up doin' time, Uncle Jesse?"**

**Tears filled Daisy's eyes at the thought, as she turned to her uncle, hoping he would firmly deny the possibility of Luke spending time in the pokey.**

Jesse continued as he tried to 'sugar coat' the truth a bit, "As I said before, the charges aren't that serious but if he is guilty of breaking the law the possibility of him being away a spell is there."

**"What do you mean 'a spell in there'?" Bo exclaimed. "Why, he shouldn't even be in there tonight... Fightin' may be illegal, but heck, Luke ain't never fought nobody didn't deserve it..."**

Jesse wouldn't deny Bo was pretty much right on Luke usually fighting only those who as he said 'deserved' it but said, "That may be, but it still don't change the facts -- Luke broke the law. First by fighting, before that he had been racing, and then there was, ............"

Daisy said shyly seeing that Jesse had obviously said more than he wanted to, "Was what Uncle Jesse?"

Bo frowned, "Uncle Jesse what aren't you tellin' us?"

Jesse wasn't sure of the exact penalties for the charges that Luke had been charged with or for that matter Luke's side of any of them, but in his mind the fact that his oldest had been charged with Driving Under the Influence was not a good message to his younger two charges. Moonshine, its making, selling, delivery and even its drinking had been part of the Dukes heritage for two hundred years, yet drinking and driving was an issue that Jesse had frowned on since the boys started driving, even before they had their licenses. Jesse had been working with Luke for a couple of years to teach him the skills needed to be a ridge runner. He had even worked with Daisy and Bo on their drivin' skills. Luke had even made a couple of local solo deliveries with Jesse 'shadowing' him and had done well. Of his three 'kids' Luke worried Jesse. Maybe it was his age, maybe it was a stage he was going through, but the boy had a 'wild' side. It was only equal to one that Jesse had seen before at that age and it was no more becoming on Luke that it had been on Luke's daddy. Jesse feared that Luke's 'wild streak' could get much worse.

"Uncle Jesse?" Daisy said a bit louder than normal.

Jesse was brought back from his thoughts by his girls worried voice. "Sorry ya'll I was just thinking."

"Is there something you ain't telling us, Uncle Jesse?" Daisy nearly pleaded.

"There is something I need to hear Luke's side of first. It maybe only Rosco talking out of his hat so I'll leave that alone until I talk to Luke." Jesse checked the clock on the wall. The phone had rang at two in the morning. It was now three and five would come around soon, but not likely soon enough for any of the Dukes, "It's late. Off to bed with you two and I want you two to get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day for us all." Jesse say the protests. "I mean it. Off with you two." He said as he ushered them to their rooms. Jesse knew neither would sleep anymore than he would but at least they might get some rest.

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Hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter. Let us know by your reviews. Thanks again for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Rosco stored Ralph's things, started the coffee brewing and set down at his desk with his feet proped up on the desk. He would stay down stairs for awhile then go back up and check on the Green boy. It would have been so much easier if he could have put them both downstairs but seeing how they were fighting it had been out of the question. Rosco looked up at the young man who was still standing by the window. Rosco wasn't sure but he felt that the young man hadn't viewed the sights of Hazzard Square in some time, though he was looking that way.

Rosco would have been right, had he been privileged to Luke's thoughts. Luke may have been looking in the direction of Hazzard Square but hadn't seen it since he had turned back to it after finding out that Rosco had called Jesse. Jesse had preached to him and Bo, seemingly since they had been in this world, about not fighting. What was he arrested for? Fighting. This would not go well with Jesse, even if there was a lot more to it. It wouldn't matter either that Ralph had also been arrested. Luke would have to answer for not only his crimes but his 'sins' as Jesse saw them too.

Rosco usually didn't do this, but as he poured his own cup of coffee he asked, "Want some coffee, Luke?"

Knowing that he wouldn't be sleeping and drinking the coffee wouldn't made a difference, Luke replied, "Sure. Thanks."

Rosco also knew the coffee wouldn't be what kept the young man up, but hoped that it just may calm him down a might to where he may get a little sleep. Rosco poured the foam cup full and set it in the bars. He had already set his cup on the desk to cool a bit as he returned to the pot and poured another foam cup full. He unlocked and relocked the gate going upstairs as he carefully carried the second cup of coffee upstairs. Rosco was surprised to find the other young man sound asleep. He set the coffee in the bars, then watched the man from the top of the stairs awhile to ensure that he was really asleep before returning down stairs.

Luke had been setting on the bunk staring into his coffee as if he was trying to 'read tea leaves'. The sound of Rosco unlocking the gate cause Luke to jump in surprise.

Rosco seen the young Duke jump. He knew he had been deep in his own thoughts. Rosco tired to sound indifferent as he said, "Gettin' late."

Luke merely nodded as he took a drink of the nearly cold coffee. It may be late but it wasn't late or early enough for Luke. Luke felt he'd checked out every inch of the six by eight by eight foot cage that he was in and it was still hours before the Judge and Jesse would arrive. Part of him was anxious for Jesse to get there, yet Luke knew there would be he-- to pay once he was on his way home, alone with Jesse. He knew Bo and Daisy would insist on coming with Jesse, but he also knew they wouldn't stand a chance. Jesse had been telling him since he was a pre-schooler that Bo and Daisy looked up to him. He had been expected to set the 'example'. Luke sighed, he knew this was not the example he was expected to set.

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Bo closed the door to his very empty room. He looked at the still made bed beside his briefly slept in bed. At sixteen, Bo had been in the courthouse, in the booking room but not in the jail area a story mostly below ground. He had seen the thick unforgiving bars of the booking cell in the upstairs booking room. To him, Luke had all the 'powers' the super heroes did. Bo found it hard to imagine his older cousin with super hero powers not only behind those thick bars but detained by them. He set on the bed and stared at his older cousins' bed. Then, he tried to imagine not being able to leave his room, which was much larger than the cell in the booking room. He looked at the door and it was obvious, if the door was locked he'd just go out the window. But what if the window had bars on it? Bo began to pace the room. He suddenly notice the room was stuffy, well maybe not stuffy, but he was nearly suffocating. He went to the window, opened it, taking in several cleansing breaths of fresh air. Bo turned around to go to bed and noticed the room began to get smaller. This had been the room he had grown up in. The room where 'monsters' lived under the bed at three and in the closet at five. At both ages, Luke had not only offered to do battle with them but shared his bed until Bo went to sleep, then silently slipped out of his own bed and into Bo's for the rest of the night. Bo looked at both beds and began pacing again, only to hear a thump on his wall.

Jesse had heard him up and tapped none too gently on the wall, "Bed time Bo."

Bo sighed and automatically responded, "Yes, Sir." He set on the edge of his bed, straightened the covers, layed down, covered up and starred at the ceiling.

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Daisy had also went to her room thinking of her older cousin. To her, Luke wasn't the 'super hero', he had been more the 'Prince Charming' ready to ride in and 'save the day' or kiss a 'boo boo' she had gotten while trying to follow her older cousins when she wasn't supposed to. More often than not she was following them on things they shouldn't be doing, which is why Luke was so apt to comfort her instead of letting her run to Jesse and give away his and Bo's escapades, which was usually something Luke had deviced and Bo had followed him into. Luke never seemed surprised to see Daisy behind them thought at times he'd seem annoyed that Bo had 'let' her follow him. Truth was, Daisy had learned to follow Luke, even if Bo wasn't there. Though Bo not being on Luke's heels from the time he could crawl was a rare instance indeed. Daisy made her way to the window and was looking at the stars when she heard Jesse tap his bedroom wall adjacent to Bo's room. Jesse's tone left no room for non-compliance. Daisy gently made her way to her bed and got in quietly. She knew sleep wouldn't come, but she was in bed and not adding to Jesse's problems.

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Jesse smiled as he not only heard Bo's "Yes, Sir." but also heard Bo and Daisy head to their beds. He couldn't make them sleep, anymore than he could make Luke listen to him, but at least they were in bed and hopefully sleep would find them all. Jesse, however, figured he'd still be looking out the window when day broke. Jesse sighed. He had been through all this more times than he cared to tell. Being the oldest of all his brothers, Jesse had been the one to set the example for his brothers and like Luke, his father had given their parents more than a few gray hairs. Jesse had stepped in when he could not only to save his parents the gray hairs but save his brothers a trip to the wood shed.

_'The wood shed.' _Jesse thought, _'That might be just what that 'boy' needs, is a trip to the wood shed.'_ Jesse had seen Luke for sometime now 'testing' the waters with him. Now, he was testing different waters with Rosco. Jesse had told him before he turned eighteen that Rosco would be 'gunning' for him, because Rosco knew if he could slow Luke down he'd slow down delivery for Jesse. Rosco knew that until Luke was eighteen, Jesse wouldn't let him run shine on his own. Luke had turned eighteen in April, this was May. The boy still had a few weeks of school left before he graduated high school, yet he had graduated to another 'plain' with Jesse. Jesse had let him take a few short local whiskey runs alone. Well, alone as far as Luke knew. Jesse had shadowed him all the way in case he got into 'trouble'. Jesse had figured to let him run a solo run out of state, again with Jesse nearby, shortly after he graduated high school. It was sort of a Duke's right to passage. But, now if the charges Rosco listed stuck, the boy may not only be in jail for a bit but his drivers license would also be in danger of being taken. Jesse knew that letting him run a load with no license would only draw unwanted attention. If the law got 'lucky' enough to get Luke's license then they were sure to make real sure he wasn't driving a wheel barrel and IF he was they'd make real sure to start adding more charges to have the license longer.

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Luke set on the bunk with his knees pulled to his chest. He knew the fight with Ralph Green hadn't just been because he had beat Ralph in a race, nor was it because Ralph was a sore looser and called him a cheat. No, those things had little to do with why Luke had engaged in the fight and not walked. The fact was, because Luke had dated a girl steadily. Well, OK, it had been an 'on again off again', steady for a couple of years now. Currently, they were in the 'off again' phase. Ever since last football season Robin had been tempted to go out with Ralph. She had managed not to succumb to such temptations until recently. Robin tried to get Luke to 'commit' to her, even if they wouldn't marry for a couple years now, she needed a commitment. Luke refused to give into her demands and had considered himself a 'free agent' for the past few days. Rumors had filled Hazzard with tales of Robin dating Ralph Green. These rumors were a large part of why Luke refused to back down from Ralph in the race or when challenged by Ralph calling him a 'cheat'. Again, Luke knew these things wouldn't even begin to explain things away to Jesse. Luke was setting with his knees pulled up to his chest on the steel bunk watching nothing in particular, time was passing with Rosco's occasional trips upstairs to check on Ralph though he had been gone for a bit longer this trip or at least it seemed that way to Luke.

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Jesse had been right. He was still awake when it was finally time to get up. The few hours since Rosco's call had gone by deathly slow yet it was time to get up already. He put on his house slippers and started down the hall. At Bo and Luke's door Jesse opened the door to find a sight he hadn't seem in several years, yet he really wasn't surprised by it. Bo was curled up under the covers facing the window of not his own bed but Luke's. Before Jesse could speak, Bo said, "I'll be along to start the chores since there is double to do before we leave for town."

Jesse wasn't in the mood for confrontation this early and merely said, "I'll put the coffee on."

A voice behind Jesse said, "I'll get it, Uncle Jesse." Daisy had only been in bed out of respect for her Uncle and once she heard him up she was up and ready to head to town with the men to get Luke.

Jesse knew they would both put up a fight to go with him, but this time he wouldn't let them win. He had a long talk planned for his oldest and it wasn't one that was going to happen in front of the younger two's eyes.

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Luke had been right, Rosco had been gone a bit longer than he had been staying upstairs. He had waited for the Hazzard Diner to three breakfasts to the jail. After waking Ralph up and sliding his through to him, Rosco was currently struggling to balance the other two breakfasts while getting the downstairs gate open and relocked which he barely managed to do without dropping everything. Once in the gate he sat his breakfast on the desk and then set a larger cup of coffee in the bars of the cell where Luke was and them handed the foam container through the bars.

Luke nodded, "Thanks." He knew he should be hungry for about anything since he hadn't eaten since the Dukes' early dinner the night before. Luke opened the container to find two boiled eggs, oatmeal and buttered toast. It may not be his breakfast of choice but coming from the Diner wouldn't be half bad either if he could just get the food past those butterflies in his stomach that had been growing more steadily active the closer it came time to face Jesse.

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Please Read and Review.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to those who are reading and especially those who review. Also, Bethie88 was able to help in the first part of this chapter, her comments are **bold-ed**, BL Davenport assisted me later in the chapter and her comments are reading and let us know how you like it. My thanks to them both for getting me over a bump or two.

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Jesse and Bo had completed all the major chores while Daisy had cooked a quick breakfast. Both Daisy and Bo were working harder and quicker than normal in order to get things done so they could go with Jesse to town. Jesse and Bo washed up and joined Daisy at the table for breakfast but no one seemed particularly hungry. Bo was actually wishing one of the dogs had been able to sneak inside so he could have fed it his breakfast like he did when he was five.

Jesse finished the last of his coffee after managing to clean his plate. He wiped his mouth and put down the napkin. He knew as well as he knew his name what was coming his way.

**"You ready to go, Uncle Jesse?" Bo asked, standing up for the table and crossing the room in quick strides to grab his keys to the truck. **

**Daisy stood up behind him, quickly clearing the table.**

**"You ain't goin' nowhere without me, Bo Duke!" she insisted.**

Jesse took his red cap off the back of the high backed chair, "Kids." Jesse said lowly then paused getting their attention before continuing, "Neither of you are going to town this morning."

**Bo stiffened at the word 'kids'. "Uncle Jesse, I don't mean no harm... But we ain't hardly kids no more..." Daisy's face had a stubborn set to it, but she said nothing. The blonde looked his uncle in the eye. "Now I aim to go with ya and make sure Luke's all right... Me and Luke's good as brothers... ain't nothin' that'd keep me from goin'..."**

Jesse held in the sigh. He knew this day would come with Luke. He had seen him 'testing' the waters with Jesse and Rosco. Jesse also knew that Bo had been trying to follow Luke in this and getting much too big for his britches lately. Jesse shot Bo a hard look before he spoke.

Daisy seen the look and decided now may be a good time to do the breakfast dishes.

Jesse said sternly, "Beauregard I'll remind you that neither you nor your fool cousin are too big that I won't put you over my knee. Luke is fine." He was determined to give Bo every bit of attention he was asking for if he continued to 'buck' him which he knew would only take more time to get to Luke that Bo claimed to be so 'worried' about.

**Bo stood his ground. "Uncle Jesse, I know you can whoop me... And probably will... But I aim to go to town whether its in the truck or the runner..."**

Daisy turned and looked at Bo wide eyed. She had never heard him talk to their Uncle Jesse like that.

Jesse nodded slowly. "Bo, ... You are pushing son. Now, I suggest you turn right around and head to your room until I get back with Luke and after I finish with him I expect I can come up with you a punishment for your sass." He seen Bo ready to shoot off his mouth to him again, "Or, you can start walking to the woodshed now." It had been several years since Jesse had been given no other choice in dealing with the boys. As of late, since they were nice strong young men he'd decided to let them work off their temper and punishments by using those very muscles, but today that didn't seem like the 'attention' Bo needed.

**Bo stood straight up. "Uncle Jesse..."**

**Daisy shot her cousin a pleading look, really not wanting Bo to get a whipping on top of what was going on with Luke.**

**Bo caught the look out of the corner of his eye, and looked at his Uncle. The older man was still well within his abilities to deliver a blistering like no other, and Bo didn't want that. On the other hand, he also felt the need to prove that he was an adult by not backing down like a kid.**

**"Uncle Jesse..." he said, looking his uncle in the eye, this time pleading instead of demanding. "I need to see Luke."**

"I know you do Son, but the more attention I'm forced to give you now, ... the longer it will take me to get back with Luke." Jesse said sternly.

**Bo lowered his head. "Yes, sir." he said.**

Daisy wanted to sigh with relief but knew none of this was over yet.

"Get on to your room and I'll be back with Luke as soon as the Judge gets there. It will likely be after nine before the Judge gets there, but I want to hear Luke's side to all this first." Jesse said while obviously waiting to see if Bo had decided to mind him. Jesse saw the lowered head, but the rest of his body language didn't seem he was ready to give up that easily. "Bo, I'm takin' the pick up and I know that ain't the only vehicle on the farm you could take to town but don't 'buck' me on this ..." He let the rest of the 'promise' hang unsaid, _'Or you will be sorry.'_

Daisy 'heard' the rest of Jesse's thought and only hoped Bo would listen to him. She wanted to go get Luke too but wasn't about to jump into this stand off.

Bo sighed and turned back toward his room looking much like a young pup with his tail between his legs.

Jesse waited until he heard Bo's bedroom door shut. He took some money out of the cookie tin and said, "I'll be back directly. Keep an eye on him, huh?"

Daisy looked at Jesse nearly in tears from being torn between also wanting to go with Jesse to get Luke and Jesse needing her to watch over Bo. She also knew Bo needed her right now more than he'd admit at the moment.

Bo heard the pickup pull out just as Daisy knocked on the bedroom door.

"Bo?" Daisy called.

Bo sighed. He knew she would at the very least delay his plans. "It's open."

Daisy pretty well knew the door would be unlocked. Any door on the farm was rarely locked as everyone respected everyone else's privacy and space. She found Bo setting on his bed starring at Luke's unmade bed. "Sugar, I wanted to go to town too, but Jesse has got to have his reasons for not wanting us too."

Bo had originally not planned to tell Daisy what he had planned but found his mouth in motion, "I am going to town Daisy."

"BO! You can't! Come on, be reasonable, besides Uncle Jesse don't need all that with everything Luke is going through." Daisy pleaded.

"If Luke is gonna go through something I 'need' to be there. I should have been with him last night, but he was the one that insisted I go to that end of the year party with Enos." Bo insisted.

Daisy tried to be gentle, "Well, you know Enos would not have went with out someone going with him, besides, Bo, ... Luke is a Senior this year and needs his own space at times."

Bo looked at his younger cousin, "Daisy, he's had a bunch of time to himself. Well, that is when he and Robin are doing their thing or when he stays the night with her brother, Mark. But, with everything that went on the other day I figured that wouldn't be an issue for awhile..."

"Went on? Bo what are you talking about?" Daisy asked.

"You didn't hear? Luke walked. Robin was giving him grief and he walked." Bo said. No matter how much he wanted Luke happy he couldn't help nearly rejoicing at the news. Yes it was selfish, but it also meant Luke would have more time for him. With summer vacation coming up that meant fun or trouble depending on how ya looked at it. Bo looked at it as fun, though Jesse usually seen most of this as trouble.

Daisy sighed, "Bo you know they will work it out. I surely wouldn't be surprised if Luke don't marry her and have half a dozen kids in the next few years."

"I would have agreed with you right up until the other day. It seems she told Luke if he couldn't promise to marry her in the next two years then she had plans to marry someone else a lot sooner." Bo said.

Daisy gasped at that news. "What?"

"Yeah and Luke said that he kissed her and wished her happiness and walked." Bo finished.

Daisy replied, "Oh, no! He didn't!" She had a lot of questions about Robin and just who she was figuring on marrying if it wasn't Luke. Sure they had been an 'on again / off again' thing for years but always worked it it to get back together.

"Yeah he did." Bo replied. "Jesse didn't say who he was fighting with or why, but I'd about bet that it had something to do with that. So I plan to go find out who and why he was fighting to begin with."

"Bo, can't you just wait and find out when they get home?" Daisy asked.

"No. Cause if someone is causing Luke grief they can deal with me too." Bo said.

Daisy sighed, "Nothing I can say or do to stop you?" Daisy hadn't heard any thing about Robin until now but figured those questions could wait. Right now Bo was her main worry. Besides she knew if Bo went to town, she would go with him which would give the cousins plenty of time to talk while they were all grounded.

"No." Bo replied stubbornly.

Daisy nodded, "Then, I'm going with you."

Bo replied, "I can live with that. Let's go."

Daisy shook her head, sighed and followed Bo out to the car. She knew this day wasn't going end any better than it started.

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Luke had been taught from an early age not to waste food and he was trying his best to stomach the food put before him but he wasn't real sure how long it would stay down. He could hear the knocking on the upstairs door just as Rosco was finishing his breakfast. The voice, nor tone, could be mistaken.

"Rosco! Get up here and open this here door. It's after eight and public offices open at eight." Jesse could be heard even through the door a floor away.

"Oh, good grief." Rosco grumbled. "A man's a couple minutes late finishing his breakfast and it's a 'federal case'. " he unlocked the bottom gate and hurried to re lock it as Jesse was still knocking upstairs. "I'm comin' already. Just settle down there Jesse."

Jesse came through the now opened door and was surprised to see someone other than Luke in the cell upstairs. "Where's Luke?"

"Downstairs, Jesse. Just give me a second for heavens sake." Rosco said.

"I don't have a second." Jesse said.

Luke sighed. He had more than a second to wait. He really dreaded this as he heard Jesse and Rosco heading down the steps. Luke's eyes met Jesse's even before he came through the bottom gate. Luke promptly dropped his eyes to the floor.

Jesse seen the look in Luke's eyes just before he dropped his gaze to his feet. That told Jesse a lot of what he wanted to know. "Can I have a few minutes alone with Luke?"

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Rosco said, "I'll just be over at my desk, Jesse."

Jesse figured this was as good as he'd get so he nodded his 'ok'. Once Rosco was out of immediate hearing distance, Jesse said, "Want to tell me exactly what happened?"

No, Luke didn't, but figured that he'd better if he had any intentions of going home. Taking a deep breath, Luke began still only barely looking at Jesse, "We were all up at the lake and had been racing for some time, when Ralph Green showed up wanting to race me. I'd been waiting awhile for him to get 'froggy' enough to challenge me, so..."

Jesse interrupted by asking very seriously, "Were you drinking?"

Luke looked up in surprise, "No."

"Nothing?" Jesse asked.

Luke thought back, "Well, I had a beer at the Boar's Nest earlier. ... Way earlier."

Jesse asked, "What is early?"

"Like about 5. It was before we came in for dinner and all." Luke said.

Jesse nodded, "Ok, go on."

"We were over half way to the finish line when Ralph seen he'd never be able to pass me. He either lost control of his car or tried to put me in the ditch. Either way, we traded paint, he took a nose dive in the ditch. I finished the race. I seen he'd went in the ditch and went back. He'd did a number on getting stuck. It took jacking it up, pulling with the wrecker and me finally steering it out of the ditch while hooked to the wrecker and on two or three jacks." Luke explained.

"Rosco said you were drinking. Were you?" Jesse said.

Luke thought before answering. "After the race, while we were all working to get the car out of the ditch I was sippin' on a couple, three beers. No one else was racing, I didn't plan to race again and I hadn't planned to go anywhere for awhile."

"So let me get this straight. When Rosco got the call about racing, you were racin'. When he got there and saw you fighting, you were. But when he told me he charged you with drinking and driving you hadn't been. You had raced then drank, then ended up in a fight?" Jesse asked.

Luke looked at his Uncle in the eye, "Drinking and Driving? No, no way." He knew exactly what sort of problems a charge like that could cause and he didn't' just mean with Rosco. He added that Jesse had gotten the situation correct, "Exactly. Then, Rosco showed up."

Jesse didn't like what he heard but it was sight better than the way Rosco told it.

Luke was catching on, "Wait a second. What exactly are the charges Rosco?"

Jesse waved Rosco back to his desk, "I was told last night you was being charged with fighting, ..."

"I'll admit that." Luke said, then added, "Since Rosco showed up in the middle of it."

Jesse frowned then said, "Racing, ..."

Luke grimaced, "Not likely I could deny that even if we we not caught doing it. Ralph shot off his mouth and I likely confirmed it."

Jesse shook his head. He had thought he had taught the boys not to admit to anything. Then he got to what was causin' his big toe to hurt, "And Driving Under the Influence."

Luke shook his head, "Oh, but no. I admit by the time Rosco got there I was drinking but I had not been drinking and driving."

Jesse nodded, "Ok, we'll figure that all out at the house. When the Judge gets here and sets the bond I'll post it saying you will be in court."

Luke nodded but before he could reply a loud commotion was heard upstairs.

It started with Bo calling for Rosco as he and Daisy entered into the booking area of the courthouse. It was soon followed by the distinct voice of one Bo Duke bellowing, "RALPH! Where is LUKE? FIGURED it would be YOU to START THIS!" Bo was at the bars and getting louder.

Ralph was on his feet and backing up to the far side of the cell but that didn't stop him from talking a good game, "You're cheatin' cousin that did THIS, ..." indicating the swollen purple and blue side of his face, "Is locked up downstairs where he BELONGS!"

"Oh, yeah, well we'll just SEE about THAT!" Bo bellowed back reaching through the bars after Ralph.

Rosco frowned hearing the commotion, "Jesse you're gonna have to come with me. I need to see what in tar-nation is goin' on up THERE and I can't leave ya down here." Rosco was nervously fishing for his keys to unlock the gate.

Jesse gave Luke 'a look' and replied, "I think I need to go with ya too Rosco."

As Rosco locked the gate back, Luke sighed and swore at the same time. He was glad to be, at the moment off the hook with Jesse, but finding out he was being charged with Driving Under the Influence, which could not only cause him to spend time right here where he was but also loose his drivers license which would indeed make Rosco and all the local law rejoice, but make working for Jesse impossible at best. Yes, loosin' his drivers was ALL he needed to come out of a simple race and fight. Luke had NOT planned on all that at all.

Daisy was trying to get Bo away from the bars when Rosco and Jesse topped the stairs together. "Beauregard Duke" Jesse bellowed just a split second before Rosco yelled, "BO! Stop that!"

Daisy looked up, her hands still on Bo's shoulder. She wore a 'deer in the head light look' as she stepped back from Bo ever so slightly as she saw Jesse and Rosco heading his way.

_Bo didn't even hear Jesse as he still trying to get to Ralph, until Jesse's hand landed on his shoulder spinning him around. "What in tar-nation are you doing here? Your both supposed to be at home!"_

Bo resembled a fish out of water trying to get air as his mouth tried to form the words he's practiced for this moment all the way to town. He failed miserably.

Jesse said, "You two are so intent on seeing Luke, ... " Jesse paused, "If Rosco don't insist that you join him I suggest you two take a seat right there until the Judge gets here. We'll finish this at home."

Bo felt a sweat break out at Jesse's words. The part about Rosco making him join Luke downstairs didn't phase him, what concerned Bo was the 'finishing this at home' part."

Judge Hardcastle said behind them, "Well, I'm here. I take it my services are needed this morning Sheriff?"

Rosco decided to let Jesse handle the two young'uns, he had not one but two older ones to 'deal' with the Judge about. "Yes. Yes, Sir! I gotcha two to see this morning." Rosco beamed with pride.

Judge Hardcastle knew the type of 'crime' in this part of the state. This likely wasn't anythig really serious and he would be on his way well before lunch especially if the two arrested had family already here. He frowned at the Sheriffs eagerness, "Well, if I can have the paperwork we can get started in a few minutes."

Rosco beamed, "On your desk."

"Go on and open the Courtroom so Jesse and his family have more room." Judge Hardcastle a long time fishing buddy of Jesse's said. "Jesse I'll look over the paperwork and we'll get stated soon."

Jesse replied, "Appreciate that Judge."

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Please review the next chapter promises to be a bit unnerving for our three favorite teens.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rosco frowned but went to open the courtroom as he had been directed.

Jesse gave Bo and Daisy a look and said, "Ya'll insisted on being here. Come on."

This was a room Bo nor Daisy had ever seen before. The high ceiling, dark oak trim against the white walls made the room look bigger and more overwhelming than it likely was as they were directed to a seat with Jesse behind them.

Judge Hardcastle called Rosco, "Sheriff step in here a minute."

Rosco stepped inside the Judge's office.

"Is this these boys first time here?" Judge Hardcastle asked.

Rosco nodded and replied, "Yes, Sir, they ain't been eighteen long, Sir."

"This one? He is related to Jesse Duke?" Hardcastle asked.

"Yes, his oldest nephew that he raised." Rosco said.

Hardcastle knew Jesse well, but hadn't known the 'kids' that well. "Let's get started."

Rosco said, "If I may?"

Hardcastle motioned him to go on.

"Jesse has done well by all his brothers' kids. They are all good kids, ..." Rosco began.

"Sheriff surely you aren't asking me to go light on someone you arrested are you?" Hardcastle asked shocked at Rosco.

"No. No, Sir. More the opposite. I think if this one gets the full treatment, a good scare if you will, especially in front of his younger two cousins out there, it make not only take care of him but them as well." Rosco stated.

"I see. Well, I'll take that into consideration. Just knock when you have the Duke boy ready for bond to be set." Hardcastle said.

"Yes, Sir." Rosco said hustling off to get Luke.

Luke could tell by the sound of things that it was Rosco coming down the stairs as he stood at the cell door more than ready to get out of there, into his own clothes, and on his way home. That's where his dread started with the rest of the conversation with Jesse when the Sheriff wasn't mere feet away. Jesse would not have to put on an act once they were alone.

NARRATOR: Seems if I were young Luke, my dread and worry would start a might before being alone with Jesse if I was about to face a Judge for the first time as an adult.

Rosco stepped through the gate, locked it and unlocked the cell.

Luke figured he would have left the gate open if he was ready to take him to see the Judge.

"Judge is waiting." Rosco said as Luke stepped outside the cell.

Luke was fine with that he'd change clothes quickly.

Rosco handed Luke a pair of orange flip flops then reached for his handcuffs.

Confused, Luke said, "What are those for?"

"You are still my responsibility until your bond is posted. Put your hands behind your back." Rosco knew Luke meant the handcuffs and said most professionally. This was the County 'policy' but usually never carried out to the letter like Rosco intended to today.

Luke knew none of that but it seemed certain Rosco wasn't budging until he did as he was told. Following a loud sigh Luke complied.

Rosco stepped to the side behind Luke and began putting the cuffs on him trying hard not to let his smile at Luke's sigh be seen. He took the leg irons out of his pocket, "Now just spread your feet a bit."

With his hands now handcuffed behind his back, Luke looked over his shoulder trying to see what Rosco was doing and finally turned to see the leg irons in Rosco's hands. "What are those for?" He asked the obvious.

"To make sure you don't try to high tail it out the front door." Rosco stated the obvious.

Luke said with annoyance, "Rosco! Jesse is here to get me."

"Well when the paperwork is done, he can. Turn around and spread your feet." Rosco instructed.

Luke was not enjoying this but figured it was a means to the end. He did as Rosco said.

NARRATOR: A means to the end. Luke ain't figured this mess is just starting for him and the rest of the Dukes.

After placing the leg irons on Luke, Rosco opened the gate and advised, "Come on. Just take slow small steps and watch these steps."

Luke stepped in front of Rosco as he had been motioned to do. He was ready to bite nails as the cuffs and leg irons bit into him as he inadvertantly attempted to take too big a step.

Luke was motioned to the door that read 'courtroom' as Rosco opened the door for him, Luke stepped through the door.

**Bo looked up to see his cousin walking in, cuffed, wearing a Hazzard County Prison jumpsuit of prison orange, and shackles. His heart went to his throat and he all but choked. His cousin was his hero, and seeing him like this... It was more than his country heart could take.**

**Daisy covered her mouth in shock, tears welling up in her eyes at the sight of Luke, every inch of him said prisoner instead of the Prince Charming she usually saw, though a Prince Charming in jeans and plaid.**

Jesse had seen his oldest in the jumpsuit, though he really didn't expect him to still be wearing it. Rosco knew he was here to get the boy but seeing the way he was cuffed up put a lump in Jesse throat the size of a nice size goose egg.

Luke didn't see the courtroom all he saw was his family. Though he had heard Bo upstairs, he didn't expect Jesse would let him stay for this. Luke saw all three sets of his family's eyes on him and knew three hearts were breaking right there. He now knew why it had been SO important for him to do right and set a good example. He saw the pain he was causing all his family by not doing so.

Rosco thought for a minute he was going to have to catch his 'prisoner'. He would have sworn that Luke's knees buckled at the looks from his younger cousins. He placed a hand on Luke's shoulder and gently guided him toward his seat in front of his family.

Luke took the seat gladly but now it was worse he couldn't see the others behind. He swore he heard Daisy sobbing.

Bo started to say something to Jesse and his voice echoed in the large room. **"Uncle Jesse, what in the world?"  
**

Jesse promptly hushed him, glad not to have to talk at the moment.

Luke heard Bo and then what he figured was Jesse making him be quiet as he watched Rosco knock on the Judge's door after they were all settled and still.

Judge Hardcastle had read the files. He had known the Dukes a lot of years. He'd went to school with Jesse and knew all the kids fathers, when they were this boys age. He knew most of these charges were nothing that even he hadn't done at some point in high school, but the young man managed to get caught at it. Considering Rosco's earlier suggestions the Judge made his way to the courtroom door. Once he opened it he heard Rosco's serious and official voice.

"All rise for the Honorable Milton C. Hardcastle." Rosco said without faltering.

Everyone in the courtroom stood, though it took some nudging from Jesse to get his younger two to their feet.

**Bo hadn't known before that he should stand, and even when he did, it was grudgingly. He didn't see where he owed all that much respect to Judge Hardcastle at the moment, what with him about to sentence Luke and all.**

Luke hadn't expected it but was paying attention and stood up.

Rosco advised, "The Court of Hazzard County vs. Lucas K Duke is called to order."

Judge Hardcastle had picked up on Rosco's attempt to make things as 'by the book', in other words as annoying as possible for the Dukes, especially the one that was under arrest. "Sheriff this isn't a trial it's only a bond hearing." Hardcastle thought Rosco was carrying the 'formalities' a bit too far.

Rosco replied still pleased as punch at not only hoping to keep a couple kids out of further trouble but also slow the moonshine deliveries that he knew were going on but hadn't been able to catch, "Right."

Judge Hardcastle began by informing Luke of his right to an attorney and means to get one for the trial, then he advised Luke, "You have been charged with the following charges and IF you plead or are found guilty you could be fined, jailed or both as follows - Fighting up to one hundred dollars or up to twelve months in jail, ..."

Even though that sentence had a lot of "if's" and "up to's" in it, those words got the absolute attention of all the Dukes, especially both of the younger males.

**Bo wasn't always the quickest one around, but he knew that 12 months in jail was a year, and that meant Luke would be off the farm a LONG time. **He hadn't paid much attention to the 'up to' part of the Judge's sentence, only hearing the 12 months part.

Hardcastle continued, "Driving Under the Influence up to one hundred dollars and a mandatory 24 hours in jail."

Luke looked at the clock on the wall and began doing the math. It was just after nine in the morning and it had been around one o'clock when Rosco showed up so that meant he could count on being Rosco's guest for at least the better part of sixteen hours if he couldn't talk his way out of that charge.

"And you were also charged with Racing." Hardcastle stated, then paused before he began to explain the penalties for the charge.

Luke hadn't been real worried about the Racing charge and so far the fighting seemed to be his main concern, though he wasn't happy knowing before hand that if he was found guilty of the DUI he'd go back to jail. At least with the fighting he may only be fined.

"The Racing charge for the first offense is a fine of fifty dollars." Hardcastle said leaving no room for judgement from him as he was dictated by law to that amount.

Luke nodded and thought, _'Ok so I need to do a few extra jobs. Maybe I can make some parts runs for the garage or something.'_

Judge Hardcastle looked Luke in the eyes and said firmly, "With that fifty dollar fine IF you are found or plead guilty it is mandatory that your drivers license be revoked for fifteen days."

Luke visibly winced at those words. He knew that even before he got his drivers that a day hadn't went by that he hadn't been behind the wheel of something.

**Bo's eyes went wide. **_**'Driver's license revoked?'**_** he thought. He couldn't imagine a Duke not being able to drive for any reason.**

Daisy let a slight gasp slip out.

Hardcastle added, "I have no control over that as it is in state code that way. I will for warn you that if you are caught driving with a revoked license the first offense is no less than thirty days and as much as six months in jail. Being that you would be revoked from my court I'd take personal offense to my sentence not being carried out and would likely lean pretty far to that six month period." He paused to take a breath, then said, "As for you bond Mr. Duke, ... I'm setting it at two hundred fifty dollars. Are you prepared to make bond?"

Luke knew he had a twenty in his wallet when he left the house last night. He also knew that it was likely that there would be exactly two hundred and fifty dollars worth of extra work he'd be doing when he got home. He turned to look at Jesse.

Jesse nodded that he had the money.

Luke found his voice though it came out much lower that he planned, "My Uncle has it, Sir."

Hardcastle noted the manners and respect the young man had for not only himself but his Uncle as well. "Very well." He looked past Luke to Jesse, "You can pay the secretary and she will get the papers ready.

Jesse stepped up to the secretary's desk and counted out the money.

**Bo was blindsided. How on earth were they supposed to just come up with that much money? Then he remembered… The last shine run had been a good one from what Luke had said. But still… It was a lot of money.**

Judge Hardcastle filled out the release part of the dual purpose 'Commitment or Release' form and signed it. "Sheriff you can remove those cuffs and take Mr. Duke to get his belongings."

Rosco took Luke's copy of the release form as well as Sheriff Office's copy. He removed the leg irons and finally the handcuffs then handed Luke his copy of the release. "Come on let's get your things."

Luke stepped to follow the Sheriff.

Bo and Daisy just looked at each other. This was going to be a LONG day. Daisy couldn't control her emotions any longer and stepped to Luke when he got to where she was setting. She threw her arms around him like he'd been gone months not hours. "Luke." she said near a whisper.

Trying hard to control his own emotions at the moment, Luke placed his arm around his baby cousins' waist, tightened his jaw and gritted his teeth before he said to her in a hushed tone, "It'll be alright. Let me get my things."

Daisy closed her eyes against the forming tears and pulled herself away from Luke.

Luke gave Bo a look that said, 'Take care of her.' as he went to get his things.

Bo knew what Luke needed him to do but it took everything in Bo not to have joined Daisy in hugging Luke. He turned Daisy to him as Luke walked off.

By the time Luke had changed and gotten his property, Jesse had paid the bail, gotten his receipt and he, Bo and Daisy were waiting in the booking area of the courthouse for Luke to come upstairs.

Luke saw them waiting as he reached the to of the stairs. He hoped to be riding to the garage with Bo but didn't really expect that.

Jesse seen him coming and said, "You two go on, we'll be along."

Bo said, "But, we need to go to the garage and get Luke's car."

Luke was grateful that Bo had said what he was thinking.

"Not today ya'll don't." Jesse said firmly.

Luke swore to himself. He knew that everyday the car set in the garage impound lot was another ten dollars and right now he already owed more than he really wanted to have to work off in the next few days.

Hearing Jesse's tone of voice all three wisely made their way outside and to the vehicles out in front of the courthouse.


	7. Chapter 7

************ NOTE: In this story, I am trying not to get really technical as far as the laws go but to determine the penalties for Luke I have actually looked up our state codes on these charges and then 'tweaked' them to fit Hazzard. In the court section of this it didn't jump up and out of the code about the drivers being suspended for DUI, but as I got to looking and thinking about it I knew there was a mandatory revocation for DUI in this state. As a ex Correctional Officer, I have never heard our Magistrates tell those charged with DUI about the revocation so I went with it. But the more I thought on it, of the 3 charges Luke should dread the DUI conviction more than the others so I went to our DMV site and found that part about the suspensions / revocations. In order to explain why the Judge didn't tell Luke this, I put that this was done by the DMV not the courts. Didn't want to bore anyone with this information, but felt it needed explained. Hope you enjoy the story, I take the fiction part seriously use it freely, but want it to also be believable.

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Chapter 7

Bo and Daisy pulled out ahead of Jesse and Luke heading for home.

Daisy looked back over her shoulder and saw Luke and Jesse getting in the pickup. She wondered out loud, "How bad do you think it'll be?"

Bo asked, "For us or Luke?"

"I was meaning Luke, but your right, us too." She said. Daisy was no angel, but most of her being in trouble started much like today by following one or both of her older cousins in doing something she full well knew better than to do.

Bo said, "School's out in a couple weeks, but I don't see 'vacation' starting for us for awhile afterwards."

Daisy flopped back against the seat and pouted, "Why do YA'LL always get me in trouble?"

"Hey! I just said I was going. You are the one who said you was going with me. I just didn't try to stop you." Bo said with a bit of a temper.

Daisy replied, "Exactly! And you knew better than let me come with you!"

Bo gave her a look of disbelief as he continued to drive.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Luke got in the truck as Bo and Daisy wisely pulled out heading home. He closed the truck door and waited. It was coming, he knew it, just wasn't sure when or how.

Jesse took his time getting in the truck. He had been pretty sure how he was gonna handle this situation all the way to town, but now he had Luke's side of the story. He figured Luke had only given him the basics with Rosco so near by and then he had the younger two to deal with now for openly disobeying him and not staying at the farm. Jesse figured to use the drive home to figure out the best way of dealing with the three wayward ones to get the most results. Jesse started the truck and headed out of town without a word.

Luke was looking out the front window as they road along, every so often sneaking a partial look at his Uncle driving along like nothing was wrong. The longer they road in silence the more uncomfortable Luke got.

Jesse had a wide peripheral view and could see Luke's discomfort. He was sure the boy would have rather he got in the truck ranting and raving and telling him he was grounded for 'life', which is why Jesse had chosen to say nothing to him for now about last night's behavior.

Luke decided that Jesse was waiting for him to speak up first so he cleared his throat, pulled at his collar and swallowed hard the lump that was suddenly stuck in his throat.

Luke's actions were not missed by Jesse who inwardly smiled.

Luke's voice was much weaker than normal as he began, "Uncle Jesse, ... I'm sorry about all this."

Jesse nodded. "I'm sure that you **think** you are Luke."

Luke grimaced. He didn't at all like the tone Jesse used. Knowing the he surely would be sorry for his actions before all this was over.

Jesse drove on in total silence until they had almost reached the farm, "Looks like we'll get some rain."

Luke hadn't expected to be talking about the weather. He had expected to talk about last night while it was only him and Jesse, but Jesse obviously had other ideas. "Could be." Luke said neutrally.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

The closer Bo got to the farm the slower he began to drive. Jesse had caught up to him and even tapped the brakes a couple of times.

Daisy looked over at Bo noticing that he was driving much slower than normal. "Something wrong Bo?" She was meaning with the car.

Bo sighed, "Just not looking forward to getting to the farm."

"Yeah." Daisy sighed.

Several minutes later, Bo said very lowly as he turned in the driveway, "Here we are."

Again, all Daisy could say was, "Yeah."

Luke visibly tensed as Jesse too turned in to the farm.

As both vehicles were parked near the back door and all four occupants got out. Looks were exchanged between the three younger Dukes.

Bo and Daisy saw Luke's unreadable expression along with him give them a very slight shrug of his shoulders.

None of this had been missed by Jesse, including the fact that all three looked to be holding their breath just a bit. _'Good.'_ he thought. "Let's go in the house a spell, it'll be lunch time soon."

All three young Dukes headed that way and appeared to be walking on eggshells as Jesse came in to find them standing in the kitchen, waiting. He merely said, "Luke, ... unless I miss my guess you'll be wanting shower, so you go do that. Daisy, Bo and I we'll get somethings together for sandwiches for lunch and have us an early lunch since I don't figure any of us had a normal breakfast."

He was met by a chorus of, "Yes, Sirs." As the three again exchanged looks before getting into motion.

Luke went straight for the bathroom and gladly shut everyone else out. He leaned hard against the door and let out the breath he'd been holding since he had turned to see Rosco holding on to him in the wee hours of the morning. He took a couple more deep breaths to clear his thoughts and relax a minute in the safety and privacy of the bathroom away from all the eyes that had been looking up to, down at or just plain watching him for the last several hours. The last ten or so hours seemed to be some of longest hours he'd had the displeasure of living in sometime now. With one more sigh Luke set about shaving and showering. He found the shower felt refreshing and relaxing at the same time. In fact he ended up standing under the water several extra minutes just letting the water relax some of the soreness away from him from not only the fight but the long few hours on the thin mattress and hard steel bunk. Luke finally shut the shower off, stepped out, briefly dried and seen that he had failed to bring clean clothes to the bathroom with him. Luke wrapped the towel around his waist, cracked the bathroom door and heard the activities of lunch preparation in the kitchen. Against house rules he darted out the bathroom and toward his and Bo's room down and across the hall only a couple feet away.

NARRATOR: Now ya'll know Duke timing. It has been 'off' for years.

Daisy opened her bedroom door heading back to the kitchen. She looked up to see Luke only wearing a towel around his waist, "LUKE!" she turned, stepped back in her room and slammed the door.

Luke looked up, seen Daisy and swore, "SH-!" He stepped in his room and slammed the door.

In the kitchen, Bo and Jesse were working in total silence. Jesse still thinking. Bo waiting for the shoes to fall. They heard, "LUKE!"; **SLAM**; "SH-!"; **SLAM** Both knew exactly what had happened. Bo tried hard to hide his laughter failing totally. Jesse looked heavenward asking for patience and understand in dealing with these three, all of whom had decided today was the day to try his patience to the limits and get in all the trouble they could.

A short time later all the Dukes gathered around the table ready to eat. Jesse said, "Luke would you do the blessing."

Luke knew this shouldn't be thought of as a punishment but knew Jesse had his reasons for giving him this 'opportunity'. He decided to make it short and sweet, "Lord bless this food, those that prepared it and those that will eat it. Amen."

The others followed his 'Amen', though Jesse did send a glare his way.

Everyone was finishing up as Jesse finished his tea, "Alright. Now before we clean up, ..."

Luke put his tongue in 'check' knowing there was things coming that he'd likely not like.

Bo looked at Luke for direction.

Daisy hoped to keep her tears in check, not only for her part in the days events but for her older cousins too.

"First off, Bo mentioned earlier about your car that is now in County impound at the Davenports." Jesse paused as he gave his oldest a hard look, "What is it now for tow and impound?" Jesse knew that Luke had spent enough time at the garage to know exactly.

Luke was looking at the table, but raised his eyes to meet Jesse's, "Fifty to tow, ten per day in impound."

Jesse replied, "So that would be sixty today? Seventy tomorrow?"

Luke nodded, "Yes, Sir."

"Do you have the sixty?" Jesse asked.

"Yes, Sir." Luke replied respectfully.

Jesse asked, "Do you have the seventy to get it out tomorrow?"

Luke quickly thought about what exactly he had in his wallet and put up, then replied, "No, Sir."

Jesse sighed, "Get your sixty dollars."

Luke seen a glimmer of hope as he went to his bedroom and got the rest of his money. He had sixty eight dollars. He put sixty out and the eight in his wallet, then returned to the kitchen. Luke showed Jesse the sixty dollars.

Jesse said, "Give it to Daisy. She and Bo are gonna take the pickup to town and get you car while we have us a meeting of the minds."

Luke swore loudly and wisely to himself as he turned to Daisy to give her the cash.

Jesse added, "Then when ya'll get back we'll have our own meeting so don't waste no time gettin' back here."

Daisy and Bo both replied, "Yes, Sir." They quickly made their way to the door and their 'escape'. Only after they reached the pickup did they realize they had just left Luke on a 'sinkin' ship.

After the pickup was a good distance down the driveway, Jesse said, "So tell me again about last night. I figure I got the short version at the jail."

Luke nodded that indeed he had as he poured himself another glass of tea while trying to figure out where to start. With a loud sigh, Luke began, "You know that Robin and me have had this 'on again / off again' thing going on for several years." Luke paused.

Jesse nodded that he did know this.

"Well, we've been in the 'off again' phase for awhile. I've heard rumors, never seen for myself that she has been going with, talking to, seeing Ralph Green." Luke paused to let that settle, "The other day she had me meet her and told me basically that I commit to marrying her within two years or she would marry someone else."

Jesse asked, "Ralph Green?"

"She didn't say." Luke replied and continued, "I seen this as an ultimatum. Jesse I may have asked her to marry me in two years, might have been ready to marry her within that time, but being faced with that, …... I know I am not ready to marry anyone right now. I didn't want to promise or commit to something I wasn't sure of, so I kissed her and said basically, 'Congratulations and have a nice life.' then I got out of her car and in mine and left." Luke stopped and waited.

Jesse listened and said, "What does this have to do with last night?"

"Nothing, ... and everything." Luke replied, "I was up at the lake and I'll admit the car was tuned and ready, but I really hadn't planned on racing, ... right up until Ralph showed up and challenged me to a race. I had not been drinking, except a beer at the Boar's Nest before dinner. So we lined up, flag dropped and I had him off the line, all the way down the track, but he was close. Close enough to try to stick me in the ditch or he flat lost control. Either way, he ended up in the ditch and you know they just cleaned them out and they are deep. After I crossed the finish line and seen him stuck I came back, we tried to drive it out, tried to pull it with the wrecker, ... nothing was getting it loose. I admit at this point I started sipping on a beer. One thing lead to another, finally my jack was used as well as a couple others and the wrecker. Several beers and attempts later, Cooter seen Ralph wasn't doing what he needed him to do to get the car out. He yelled at me to steer it out. I handed off my beer and steered the car out of the ditch while hooked to a wrecker. After the car was safely out of the ditch Ralph approached me, call me a cheat, and then swung on me. Now, Jesse, you can say a lot about me, …... but to call me a cheat AND swing on me, ... " Luke let his sentence die unfinished.

"Suppose we need not mention the possibility that he may also be takin' your place with your best girl." Jesse added not mincing words for a second. He seen Luke's dander up just at the mention.

"That too." Luke added with his jaw tensed.

"So that was enough to have you two in a 'knock down, drag out' by the time Rosco showed up." Jesse concluded.

"Pretty much." Luke admitted.

Jesse thought a long minute before saying, "After hearing Judge Hardcastle, it sure sounds like you two have bite off a bunch of trouble for one night out. What exactly are you planning on doing about it?"

Luke began, "Well, on the Fight charge he said it was a fine and / or jail. I can hope that he'll decide on the fine. The Driving Under the Influence I hope once I tell my side of it they will drop it, but if not I know I'll be seeing Rosco for at least another several hours. And, then the Racing is a fifty dollar fine. I can maybe get some work at the garage to cover that."

"With no drivers license?" Jesse asked firmly.

Luke seen the water going from simmer to boil, "I figured to try to earn it before I go to court."

Jesse fumed, "Sounds like you are pretty 'hopeful' there, Son. Just when do you 'figure' to do that? You still have a couple weeks of school before you graduate. We still have a business and a FARM to run. So in all your PLANNING just when do you figure to have time to work at the garage?"

Luke hadn't thought that far but quickly hedged, "We don't run every night and there are Saturdays."

"Nice to see you have it all figured out. So, **Mr.** what are you going to do if you get sentenced to the year in JAIL for the fight?" Jesse asked raising his voice as he went.

Luke dropped his head a bit, "There won't be much I can do about it."

"There was a LOT you could have done to NOT to be in this situation! If you are gone for a YEAR, that is putting a lot of extra work on all of us that you SHOULD be here helpin' us to DO."

Luke knew Jesse was right about that. He had no answer for it.

Jesse said, "I put out TWO hundred and FIFITY dollars to get you home. I had a right good mind to take you to the wood shed and tan your hide for ya when I got you home but then your cousin decided to disobey me and bring Daisy along with him, so I might just save that there punishment for them two."

Luke wanted to plead their case but knew now wasn't the time, so he decided to just listen.

"You are the one those two look up to, you are the reason they disobeyed me, and YOU will be the reason they get punished."

That was all Luke could take without speaking up, "Please, Uncle Jesse. I know you are right, I am the reason they disobeyed you. Please don't punish them when it is my fault." Luke knew he'd regret what he was about to say for awhile, but he knew that he'd regret it a lot longer if he didn't say it. "Whatever their punishment is, ... I'll take. I saw the look on their face in the courtroom, Uncle Jesse you are right, they do look up to me and last night wasn't an example I should be setting for them. I know you tried to protect them from seeing all that and I saw how much they were hurting when they did see it. I have already punished them enough by allowing myself to get in this fix and them seeing it."

Jesse had been on a roll, but when his 'know it all nephew' took the blame and offered to take his cousin's punishment, it took Jesse by surprise. He replied, "Well, I just have to think on that, but for starters there are fence posts needin' replaced along the front of the property. You can take the breaker bar and the post hole diggers and get started. When they get back with the pickup, we'll bring the posts down." Jesse paused before adding, "When they get back with your car, I won't take your keys, but lets just say you need to be askin' before you decide to head off the farm at least until that there court date of yours."

Luke had grimaced when Jesse had mentioned the fence. He really hated digging the hole for the poles. Largely why Jesse had came up with that particular task for him to do, Luke figured. Luke knew that since he had his license that if the work was done he was usually free to roam the County and hadn't even been held to a time to be home for some time now. Heck, for the most part he hadn't been held to comin' home, but Jesse had expected to know that. His eyes fell to the table for the briefest second before meeting Jesse's again, "Yes, Sir." He replied, letting Jesse know he understood exactly what the man had not only said, but meant too.

"While you are working, I suggest you figure just how you plan to get out of that DUI charge since you think that you can talk your way out of it, because the Judge may not be the one who does it, but when that conviction is turned in to DMV, they will suspend you license for 45 days I believe." Jesse said.

Luke's eyes shot upward, "What?"

"Don't you remember anything from the drivers book you helped Bo and Daisy study?" Jesse asked.

Luke frowned. It seemed he would have remembered that.

Jesse held up his hand, went to the bookcase and produced a drivers handbook, flipped through the pages and handed it to Luke.

Right there in black in and white Luke seen exactly what Jesse had told him. It stated that along with the fine and mandatory jail time that drivers privileges would also be revoked for 45 days. Luke starred at the page a full minute before laying the book down and looking up at Jesse.

Jesse added, "Without a license I can't let you deliver cause if they will be looking to catch you driving and hoping you are loaded."

Luke nodded and replied quietly, "I know." Luke was beginning to see his first summer out of school looking to be a very long one boring one filled with a lot of muscles aches if he was lucky enough to stay out of jail.

"That fence is waitin' on ya." Jesse said.

Luke nodded and replied as he headed to the back door, "Yeah."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please review it helps for speedier updates. Thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

In town, Ralph had been through a similar hearing with the exception of being charged with DUI. His bond had been posted at a hundred and fifty dollars that Ralph did have on him. Trouble is he had also had plans for that money, none of which involved paying bail, but it beat setting in jail too. In his mind he wasn't finished with Luke. He made his way over to garage, got his car out of impound, swore when he saw the damage in the daylight and before leaving told Cooter, "You be sure to tell your good friend that this isn't over on or off the road. I figure to take what he's cost me out of his hide or his car."

Cooter knew Luke could take the guy either way and replied, "I'll be sure to do just that."

Ralph headed out of town toward the County line and his home.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

On the way to town Daisy looked over at Bo and said, "I feel bad about leavin' Luke."

"Me too, but Uncle Jesse wanted to talk to him alone." Bo stated the obvious.

"How much trouble do you figure he's in with Uncle Jesse?" She asked not only out of concern for Luke but also trying to gauge how much trouble she and Bo were in.

Bo thought for a minute before replying, "I don't think it is a good sign that we were sent for Luke's car. Uncle Jesse is probably gonna yank out a few tail feathers so he can't fly real soon but he'll be fine when they grow back."

"Luke ain't gonna like that." Daisy replied.

"Not a all!" Bo said as he pulled up in front of the Davenport Garage.

Cooter looked up from the car engine that he was working on when he heard the familiar sound of the Duke pickup. He said without noticing who was in the truck with Bo, "Ya know, Lucas, I expected ya sooner. I was about to sale this thing for scrap."

Daisy stepped out of the other side of the pickup, "I hate to disappoint ya there Cooter, but I ain't Luke."

Cooter seen the barely sixteen year old female Duke who was about as cute as a speckled pup and ever bit as feisty. She may be several years his junior, but he could already tale that it weren't gonna be long before Uncle Mister Jesse and the boys had their hands full with the young bucks who would be following her. "No Ma'am, ya ain't. You're a lot cuter to look at." Cooter said to Daisy, then looked at a sixteen year old Bo, who was nearly seventeen and asked, "So where is our jailbird? I know he's out already, cause Ralph was just by."

Bo nodded that 'yes' he was out, "He's with Uncle Jesse, who sent us here to get Luke's car."

Knowing that Jesse normally did any business or sent Luke to handle it, seen red flags of warning. He whistled long a low, "He's in deep?"

Bo nodded 'yes', "I think so, but we're likely right behind him."

Cooter frowned not being able to imagine what these two could have done to be in nearly as much trouble as Luke who had not only been caught by Rosco, but spent a night in jail and had his car impounded. "What could ya'll possibly have done to be in THAT much trouble?"

Bo said honestly, "Went to town behind Jesse to get Luke, when he told me to stay at home in my room, ... after I told him I wasn't staying at the farm."

"Dang!" Cooter said, "What was you thinkin'? You knew Luke had already riled him." Then he looked at Daisy, "And you?" He couldn't figure what she could ever do to make Jesse upset with her.

Daisy had the good graces to blush as she said, "Went with him to town."

Cooter who was just a bit older than Luke knew all about being in trouble with Jesse because he and Luke had ran around together even before Bo was allowed to do some things with them. Which meant, if Luke had gotten in trouble, that Cooter got in trouble TWICE. Once with Jesse, then once with his father, Luther, when he got home. Jesse's call always found Luther before Cooter got home to 'try' to explain. Funny thing was, if Luke took a trip to the woodshed, Cooter could count on joining him there, a fact that had sure made Luther's job raisin' him a lot easier. "Daisy, girl. Have you lost all your good sense?"

"I was worried about Luke." She said honestly nearly pouting.

Cooter said, "I was lookin' forward to ya'll bein' out of school, but it's lookin' like its gonna be a real boring summer for sure now. I hate to do this to ya'll and all but it's gonna be sixty to get the car."

"Got it right here." Daisy said.

Cooter put the money in the register and wrote out the receipt, "Who get's the keys?"

Bo replied, "Me."

Daisy frowned.

Cooter shrugged, handed Bo the keys to the car and picked up the impound yard keys, "Come on Bo. We'll be right back." Was Cooter's attempt to get Bo alone.

Daisy knew what he was up to and added, "I'll be in the pickup. Don't be long Bo."

Cooter headed to the lot, unlocking the large double gates and opening one for Bo to get through. He said on the way to the car, "I got a message for Luke from Ralph Green." Cooter paused before saying, "But, looks like he may had a wait. He told me to tell Luke, 'That this isn't over on or off the road. I figure to take what he's cost me out of his hide or his car.' But the way things look, Luke's hide may be tacked to the wall for a bit so he may not get his chance."

Bo agreed, "Yeah, but what really worries me Cooter is whether it is gonna be Jesse or Judge Hardcastle doing the 'tacking to the wall'."

Cooter looked confused, "What are you talking about?" He knew what went down or he thought he did since he was there. "Luke was in a little fight. Big deal."

"It sounded like a big deal at the courthouse this morning." Bo said, "Judge told Luke he could go to jail for a year for that 'little fight' and loose his license for racin' not to mention the fine for DUI."

Cooter frowned, "Wait a second. Me and Luke were together up until he raced Ralph. Luke hadn't drank anything until after the race and we were trying to get Ralph out of the ditch. Tell ya what, if you don't believe me, ask Mark McCormick. He was there the whole time. We used his and Luke's jacks and I think Luke even handed his beer off to Mark when I needed him to steer it out of the ditch for me. By the time I got out of the wrecker he and Ralph were into it hot and heavy. Before I could get there, Rosco showed up. Puzzled me why he had their cars towed for a fight though."

"I don't know, Uncle Jesse talked to Luke before the bond was set. Luke rode home with Jesse. All I know is me and Daisy was there when the Judge told him the charges and what he could face." Bo explained.

"Well, you just tell Lucas if he needs me I'm there and I'm sure Mark will be too. I know I could not have gotten that car out of the ditch without his and Mark's help." Cooter stated.

"I'll do it!" Bo said as he got in Luke's Torino and headed out toward the farm.

Cooter shook his head as he watched Bo and Daisy pull out for home. He would like to be there for the three cousins, his three friends, but on the other hand he was glad he wasn't there to face Jesse's wrath.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

At the farm, Luke had lost his shirt over an hour ago as he dug the fence post holes with the post hole diggers and used the breaker bar to break or remove larger rocks in his way. Luke was no stranger to hard work and this was a job that needed done, but in his opinion could have and likely would have waited. He felt Jesse had given him busy work that Jesse knew he hated on purpose. Luke was glad at the moment that he had't drank more than he did the night before or he would surely be paying for it in this hot sun.

Jesse was working outside near the barn and could see Luke at the far end of the property. He seemed to be working pretty well. Too well, in fact if he had been drinking heavily the night before so Jesse felt inclined to believe Luke at lest partially at this point.

Daisy seen Luke hard at work as she pulled in the drive way. She wasn't looking forward facing Jesse it had been awhile since she was in this bad a trouble with her uncle.

"Fence posts." Bo uttered as he seen Luke working in the hot sun. Like Luke, he hated setting fence posts. Especially in hot weather. It wasn't nearly as bad in the fall or early spring as it was through the hot Hazzard summer. Bo took a deep breath dreading the talk he knew would come with Jesse.

Luke stuck the post hole diggers in the ground and picked up his discarded shirt and wiped his face and neck with it as he looked toward the house. He saw Jesse stop what he was doing and wipe off his hands as he started toward the house and Bo and Daisy. Luke knew better than to stop work and join his younger cousins. He picked up the diggers, as he watched Jesse head to the porch.

Jesse met Daisy and Bo at the vehicles. Bo did what he thought Jesse would want and reached Luke's keys to his uncle. Jesse simply said, "Just hang them on the hook when you go in."

All the vehicles had their own hook by the door and that's where they were kept, but something about Jesse's manner told Bo they just may have a bit of dust on them when they were next taken off the hook. Bo was a bit relived that they would be on the hook and not in Jesse's pocket.

Jesse told Daisy, "How about getting me and Bo a glass of tea and you can take yours down with you when you take Luke a glass."

Daisy was relived for another few minutes before facing Jesse, yet she knew it was Bo's turn to face the music. "Yes, Sir."

Jesse took his rocker where he normally sat in the evenings and drank his coffee and enjoyed the sight of the family farm and the progress that had been made that day. Today, though the day wasn't over and Jesse was taking time out of his day to deal with his niece and nephews. He set rocking and waiting for Daisy to head down to Luke. "Take a seat Bo."

Bo would have rather stood but figured at this point his obedience might not help, but his lack of would certainly make things worse. He took the top step about five feet away from his uncle. He pulled his left leg up and rested his arm on it while he tried to appear casual and relax the right one on the ground below.

Daisy returned with two glasses of tea for Jesse and Bo. She gave Bo a thoughtful gaze as she handed him his tea and went back in the house. She got the other two glasses of tea and came back out on the porch, giving Bo a 'good luck' look.

Jesse said, "Take your time."

Daisy said a bit choked up, "Yes, Sir."

Jesse sipped his tea and waited until Daisy was nearly half way down the field to Luke.

Luke had seen Bo set on the steps and Daisy go inside. He knew better than to stop working while trying to figure out what was going on so he half heatedly sunk the post hole diggers into the solid ground only to find a large rock. He had gotten involved with trying to loosen it or break it so he could continue the job. He was so involved that when Daisy stepped into his view that it actually took him by surprise. "What brings you down here Darlin'?"

Daisy bit her lip and said, "I figure I was gotten rid of so Bo could get his, so I guess that means you get a break since I'm supposed to take my time."

Luke sighed at that information, though a break did sound good. He reached for his shirt, dried off with it then slipped it back on only buttoning a couple buttons. He took the tea Daisy reached him. "Thanks." he motioned toward a large tree a several feet away hoping for a bit of shade.

On the Duke porch, Jesse looked at Bo who was looking anywhere but at him, "Bo look at me Son."

Bo did as he was told.

Jesse said, "Bo, you aunt and myself have tried to teach you three right from wrong. We tried to bring you up like your Ma and Pa would have wanted us to. Now, your Daddy was my younger brother and I'll tell you right now they surely wouldn't have let him talk to them the way you did me earlier today."

Bo dropped his head but never looked away from Jesse as he said, "No, Sir."

"Furthermore, I would not have stood for that talk to come from any of my brothers or sisters towards them AND I'll tell you another thing, ... none of them would have talked to me that way. They knew better. ... And I thought you three did too." Jesse said pausing to let the information sink in.

"Yes, Sir we do." Bo said.

Jesse fixed a hard look at his nephew for a full minute, "Oh, so that wasn't you telling me that you was going to town against me telling you to stay put?"

Bo nodded 'yes' that it had been, "Yes, Sir it was me."

"Then, how can you set there now and tell me you know better than to sass me?" Jesse asked.

Bo felt a lump move up into his throat, yet he still felt he was right by wanting to go get Luke. "Uncle Jesse, I didn't mean to or want to sass you. But, when I stood up ready to go and Daisy said she wanted to go, ... you called us 'kids'. I'm nearly seventeen, I'm not three."

Jesse had to agree at his age but felt he was acting closer to three most of the day today. "Bo, you may be almost seventeen, but when you are fifty, I'll still be your old Uncle Jesse and expect you to mind what I say. Understand?"

"Yes, Sir." Bo replied thought he didn't like it.

"I know you don't like it but I really don't care if you don't. I've done things I ain't liked, ain't planned on or was expected to do for more that twice the time you've been on this Earth. It won't matter how old you are, if you live here or even if I'm not around, I promise you that you are always gonna have to do what you're told, what's expected of you or act with in the boundaries of laws, rules or what is morally expected of you. There won't be a day goes by, even as an adult, that you won't have to do something or NOT do something that you'd like to do differently." Jesse explained.

Bo nodded.

Jesse frowned, "Bo you are much to old to sass and defy me."

"Yes, Sir." Bo bit his tongue to keep from pleading his case until he couldn't hold back any longer, "But, Uncle Jesse, Luke was in jail! He needed me, us."

Jesse glared, "He likely needed to stay there and learn a lesson of his own, but he is family and I'll go get him once for doing something stupid. But the next time he does something stupid I may just leave him set, so if you happen to be with him and your over eighteen, you might want to consider not jumping in with him on the 'event'."

Bo nodded and respectfully said, "Yes, Sir." though they both knew Bo would be right by Luke's side no matter the age or how stupid it was.

"For now, you can go join Luke diggin' them holes for the poles I'll be bringin' ya in a spell and send Daisy up to me." Jesse instructed.

Bo stood up and set his glass on Jesse's table, "Yes, Sir." He wisely said, though he didn't think the digging of the holes was the entire punishment. Bo walked to where Luke and Daisy had been watching from the shade of the tree. "Jesse said to send you up and for me to help you." He said first to Daisy, then to Luke.

Daisy bit her lip, got up and asked, "That's all he done to you?"

Bo said, "He said 'For now, help Luke'."

"Great!" Daisy said as she started to walk slowly to the porch.

"Daisy, here." Luke handed her his glass. "Good luck."

"Ghee, thanks!" She replied over her shoulder. Daisy managed to get to the porch and set the other two empty glasses on Jesse's table, then took a seat on swing facing Jesse with one foot on the swing, the other on the floor to push herself with.

"Daisy you are the youngest of you three. You knew Luke was in deep when Rosco called last night. You knew I was not happy about having to go bail him out of jail first thing this morning. You heard Bo sass me and though you didn't let yourself get caught up in his sass, you came to town with him." Jesse paused.

Daisy felt tears building but refused to cry, "Yes, Sir."

"Why?" Jesse asked.

"Because you always told us we are family and family sticks together. Luke was in trouble and needed us all not just you." Daisy said clearly.

"I had things under control, I've done this for my brothers when they got a wild hair." Jesse said.

"But, Uncle Jesse you may have been through it but us three haven't." Daisy said.

"That may be true, but I didn't feel you needed to witness what you did today." Jesse said.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

Jesse said, "I heard you gasp when you saw Luke come up before the Judge and sob the entire time until we went outside to wait for him. You mean to tell me that all that did you some good?"

Daisy looked up refusing to cry, "Maybe not, but it would have been worse setting here wondering what was going on."

Jesse nodded, "That said, you heard the Judge today, ... what are you and Bo going to do mostly likely WHEN not IF Luke goes back to jail."

"What?" Daisy gasped.

Jesse nodded, "Rosco and JD are friends. JD is the completion. If Rosco jails Luke it keeps only me running shine. Now Hardcastle is as honest as the day is long but didn't get the name 'Hardcase' for nothing. If he don't give you the maximum he's not far from it."

Daisy asked, "So when he said up to a year, ... then it's not likely that Luke will only be fined."

"Afraid not, Darlin'." Jesse answered.

"But, Uncle Jesse Luke thinks it's possible to get out of this with only a few more hours in jail and a fine." Daisy said.

"He may tell you that, but he knows his chances and the odds that are against him." Jesse said. "But we are talking about you here. You knew I didn't want you to go to town. Right?"

Daisy nodded, "Yes, Sir."

"For whatever reason, Bo defied me and came to town, you came with him right?" Jesse said.

Daisy looked away to keep her tears from falling as she replied, "Yes, Sir."

Jesse stated, "They are digging holes for posts that I need to take them. While you get supper ready you can start cleaning the kitchen. Ceiling to floor, china cabinet, what nots and all." He saw her start to protest. "You can start anywhere you want, you'll have all your 'spare' time to finish it."

Daisy held her sigh as she heard the unsaid words that she was grounded.

"Other than working or errands I specifically give you, you are not to leave the farm without permission until further notice." Jesse said officially.

Daisy's eyes nearly bugged out.

Jesse held his hand up. "Yes, I know it is end of the year and all. I didn't say you would not be allowed to participate in some activities, just that I need to be asked permission and we'll decide which are the most important to you."

Daisy knew better than to swear especially out loud, but she was doing her share silently at the moment. Any other time she would not only be allowed but encouraged to participate in any school functions. "Yes, Sir."

"Now, go get busy. We'll all have us get together after dinner." Jesse said felling he'd takin' enough time talking away from work.

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Thanks for all the reviews. Keep them coming. I'm sure you'll like Chapter 9!


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks to all those who are reading and reviewing! I hope to have the next one done in a couple days if the rains hold off. Our area has had some pretty serious flooding but only property damage luckily. However, as a dispatcher for 911 we have been working over time to put an extra dispatcher on each shift until the flood watch is lifted. We lost some secondary roads and did heavy damage to at least one major road in the County seat. That along with the mud and rock slides and trees falling have made getting emergency crews to calls a bit tricky to say the least. Thanks again.

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Chapter 9

After everyone finished dinner and plates were stacked each of the young Dukes hoped the events of last night and earlier today were forgotten. But, there was not a snowball's chance in haydees, Jesse Duke had forgotten their actions of the past twenty four hours.

Jesse finished his first cup of coffee that he'd drank with his dinner.

Daisy promptly asked, "More coffee Uncle Jesse?"

"Not right now." Jesse regretted having to do what needed done, but felt it was better to spare the rod than spoil the child. He stood up from the table and said, "Ain't none of you all made me do what I'm about to do in several years and the fact it needs done ain't gotten no easier." He reached for his well used razor strape as he said, "You can all just be headin' out to the woodshed."

Daisy's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. She hadn't been to the wood shed since she had started out following Bo and Luke to the pond fishing and gotten turned around. Jesse was certain she had fallen in and drownd by the time she was found. Bo and Luke had joined her in the woodshed that evening too for running off and leavin' her to get lost.

Bo hadn't been to the woodshed since Jesse caught him smokin' behind the barn after he'd ditched the cigarette which nearly caught the barn on fire. Bo had set sideway on his hip for a solid week.

Luke nearly swore outloud but caught himself. He last visited the woodshed shortly after he got his drivers and the girl he took to the school dance was over due getting home from the dance. Her father had woke Jesse at three in the morning wanting to know where she was. Problem was Luke wasn't home to ask. Seemed they had went to the lake and left the radio play until the battery ran too low to start the car. Luke not only wouldn't set down for nearly a week but also learned some valuable mechanical skills while he was standing up. He also learned about putting a girls honor in question and several Bible verses to go along with that.

Jesse decided to be very fair or as fair as he felt they were letting him be. He said calmly and sterly, "Youngest to the oldest. Daisy bend over and grab the saw horse legs." Jesse waited until she had moved to the saw horse. He saw the tears forming before she ever got there and they hurt him more than she knew. "I was gonna give you three licks, but Luke here admitted that you are in trouble because of him and offered to take your punishment."

Daisy raised up and looked at Luke who nodded 'yes' he had said that. She was greatful that he'd offer such a thing but couldn't let him take three licks for her. "Uncle Jesse, I followed Bo on my own accord and can't let Luke do that." She knew she'd regret those words in a short while but knew it wasn't fair to let Luke take her punishment.

Jesse smiled. "I figured you'd say that, so I'll make it fair. I'll up it to four licks and you two can spilt them. Now bend over."

Daisy felt her tight jeans get even tighter as she bent over prepared to take to licks from the worn shaven' strape.

Jesse had done this long enough that he knew how to warm a back side even with one hit of the belt. He said calmly, "Hold on and don't fight it or it will be worse." The belt impacted his neices bottom, the sound caused Bo and Luke to jump.

Daisy's hands involuntarily let go and she almost stood up, but knew how bad it would be if she did. She took several deep breaths and grabbed the saw horse tighter and waited.

Jesse seen her actions and knew her pain. He had been there himself in the same woodshed many times over in the same position his neice now was. "Ready?"

Daisy took a deep breath and nodded 'yes', she tensed her behind causing the hit to burn like wild fire and the tears silently begin to fall against her will.

Jesse said, "When you are ready, Bo can take your place."

Bo and Luke stepped toward Daisy and helped her to stand up. Luke turned her to him to comfort her as Bo took her place over the saw horse. Wishing he had not worn tight jeans today he gritted his teeth and grabbed the saw horse in anticipation of the whippin' he knew was coming.

Jesse said, "You were going to get five licks for your sas and disobedience, but Luke there seems to be a gulton for punishement so we'll call it six licks. Three each."

Bo grimaced knowing Luke was getting three of his own licks, he would be up to five not to mention what Jesse had planned to give him.

Jesse said, "Take a good hold." He drew back and wrapped the strape from one sideof Bo's hips to the other.

Bo's mouth over rode his good senses, as he swore, "SH-!"

Jesse never said a word as he waited for Bo get ready, "Number two." Jesse's tag 'lite' up Bo's back side.

"Da-!" Bo let fly.

Luke closed his eyes. He'd learned a long time ago not to do what Bo was doing.

"Three." Jesse let if fly.

Bo felt as is he'd set in boiling water, "Fu-!"

Luke's breathing increased and his back side burnt and it wasn't even his turn, yet. He knew the hole Bo had just dug for himself and likely him too.

Bo stood up more than ready to give Luke his remaining three licks.

Jesse said calmly, "Bo you're not done."

Bo's eyes went wide.

"Seems you haven't learned not to sas me yet. Let's see if you can take your three licks without sas. Bend over." Jesse said firmly.

Luke's eyes pleaded with Bo to keep his mouth shut this time, for both their sakes.

Bo bent over, grabbed the horse and prayed that he could keep his mouth shut.

Jesse switched sides, not that it mattered as the strape wrapped around both hips. "One." He waited.

Bo's teeth were clinched as he heard Jesse say, "Ready." Bo's chest heaved as he nodded, grabbed the horse and gritted his teeth. The impact felt as if lightening had hit him right in his back side. Tears slipped by his closed eyes as he tried to breath.

Jesse gave him a minute then said, "Get ready." Jesse tried to aim for a spot not yet hit which would make him sore in a larger area not sorer in the same area. "Two." He gave Bo the final lick then said, "We're done Bo. Time for Luke to face the music when you are ready."

Bo started to move and regretted it.

Luke released a sobbing Daisy, who was crying more for Bo than herself at this point, and moved to Bo's side.

Bo started to say something which Luke feared would not set well with Jesse, "Shhhhh, Bo just move over here." Luke hushed him and got him to move aside.

Jesse seen Luke take a deep breath and take his position on the saw horse. He looked at Daisy and Bo and his heart went out but his mind spoke, "You two are allowing Luke here to take half your punishment after he agreed to take it all, but you will watch or that lick won't count."

Luke swore to himself he knew how Jesse counted and he wasn't at five licks plus his own but at eight plus his own since Bo had insisted on doubling his own. he looked at his two cousins for a brief second pleading them to watch the licks that would hurt them as much as himself.

Jesse turned to Luke, "Get set."

Luke grabbed the saw horse, put his tougne in check and said, "Ok." Then he clinched his jaw as Jesse got his attention with the first swing. Thankful that he had put on looser work pants after his shower so he was spared ever so slightly. He took a few breaths as the strap connected for a second time.

Jesse said, "Those are your share of Daisy's. Are you ready for Bo's other half."

Luke took in a deep breath, let it out and not trusting his voice nodded.

Jesse tried to spread out the next three licks, then paused.

Luke was breathing heavily but hadn't said a word. There wasn't a part of his back side that Jesse hadn't warmed up.

"Unfortunatly Luke, Bo wasn't happy with his first three licks and asked for three more, so we have three more before we get to your own." Jesse said.

Bo looked wild eyed from Jesse to Luke. His heart nearly jumped out of his skin as he caught Jesse's meaning and said, "Oh, Lord, Luke."

"It's alright Bo." Luke said through still clinched teeth. "Let's just get it over with."

Jesse said, "Alright. Get ready."

Luke nodded and felt the strap wrap around both hips high, low, then in the middle. He nearly cried out as this was at least the second round on the same areas but knew it would only be worse in the end if he did so.

Jesse gave his behind time to 'cool down' or the sting to go away. "Now I was gonna give you five licks before you ever agreed to take their share. I'll stick to that, then there is the matter of you streaking down the hall in only a towel, at best, against 'house rules'. So we'll just say six licks for good measure."

Luke was glad that he didn't think he could stand up on his own right now, cause he knew better, but six more licks would put him up fourteen licks with a four inch shavin' strap that was worn when he had first been whipped with it. You'd think newer unworn leather hurt worse, but if you did you'd never been whipped by Jesse Duke. He knew exactly how to inflict pain that was spread out to where you couldn't set on your back side or either hip.

"Do you want a break?" Jesse asked Luke.

Luke shook his head no and hoped his behind could take what his mind just set it up for.

Jesse shrugged, "Here we go, one..." It hit high, "Two, " Hitting low. "Three." Hitting in the middle. Jesse saw Luke's knees bend but not buckle as his nephew took several deep breaths. He checked Daisy and Bo both stood silently with tears streaming down their faces for their older cousin who not only was taking his punishment but half of each of theirs. He switched up and delivered this blow low, "Four." then high, "Five." and finally in the middle, "Six."

Luke's fist were clinched, he could feel his heart beat in his ears as he breathed rapidly trying to get his breathing under control.

Jesse hung the strap up in the shed and said, "When you are ready you can join me on the porch or get ready for bed." Jesse walked out of the shed, his heart breaking far more than any of their back sides burnt.

Normally they would gather on the porch if they weren't going to town and that was absolutely out of the question for tonight.

Luke was trying to calm himself down from the pain inflicted to his back side a full minute after Jesse left the shed.

For the first time Bo felt it safe and found his voice but barely, "Luke?"

"Give me a second, huh, Bo?" Luke said.

Twice in one day, Bo's allusion of his 'Superman' hadn't been as expected, though no one he knew had ever taken fourteen licks from his Uncle Jesse either.

Luke got his arms under himself to help him push his way to standing.

Both Bo and Daisy noticed that Luke's eyes may be moist, but he wasn't crying.

Luke slowly started to walk to the house, and found the three steps for the back door more painful than ever. He stopped long enough to pour himself a partial glass of tea, drink it then head to his and Bo's bedroom. Inside the room, Luke closed the door, went to his side of the bed, kicked his boots off, dropped his shirt off on the lower post and dropped his jeans barely able to step out of them and leave them lay. He stretched out on his stomach on his bed, clutching his pillow tightly, refusing to shead a tear. His peace only last a couple minutes, if that, as Bo came in behind him.

Bo started undressing too in the still daylight hours of the evening. He could see the partial marks a fraction above and below Luke's under shorts. "Geesh, Luke. I'm sorry, real sorry for my share of that whipping. I had no idea you was gonna volunteer to take my share or that me spouting off my mouth would give you extra licks."

"Well, it did, but let's just leave it at that for tonight." Luke said as he flipped the covers over his lower backside. As the covers hit his behind he mumbled. "Owe."

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Please review it helps for speedier updates. Thanks for reading.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Daisy stopped off in the kitchen long enough to wash Luke's tea glass before she too went to her room. She changed into a summer gown, crawled into bed, hugged her own pillow and began to sob, not for herself but for Luke. She shed the tears that she knew Luke wouldn't let fall. She had never gotten more than three licks from Jesse and currently the two she had gotten were more than plenty, but Luke had taken fourteen. Though it may not seem possible but the two he'd taken for her hurt her more than the two she had taken her own self. Her two may have warmed her backside, but the two Luke took broke her heart.

Jesse set in his rocker slowly rocking as he listened to the back door, the foot steps, the refrigerator door, the water in the kitchen sink and finally Daisy's light foot steps down the hall to her room. He looked heavenward at the stars and beyond. He quietly said, "I know, Lavinia, if you would have been here today you'd be ready to take me to the woodshed myself about now. We both knew this day would come and I wish you were here to have helped with Bo and Daisy. You could talked them two in to staying here. I knew Luke would be a challenge. I've seen him testing me. But I figured it would be him to buck me first instead of Bo. Of course, Daisy only did when she's been doing since she could barely crawl, she followed the boys and, yes, I know Bo only did the same following Luke but, ... he sassed me and I've never taken that from anyone but you." Jesse rocked in silence several minutes before saying, "I miss you, Darlin', you are still the love of my life." Jesse felt a gentle breeze kick up out of no where and would have sworn he'd got a breath of Lavinia's perfume.

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Sunday morning was the one day a week that the Duke farm slept in, getting up usually about an hour and a half later than normal. Jesse got up and as usual didn't even knock on the boys door. He knew the coffee and bacon would get their attention soon enough.

Not being used to sleeping on his stomach and going to bed with the chickens, it was no surprise that Luke was the first of the 'kids' awake. In those first moments of waking up Luke felt unusually stiff and sore. He began to stretch his body. In mid stretch he regretted that and began to roll to his side to get up, only to also regret that. It may be a Sunday morning but the thoughts crossing Luke's mind were far from saintly. He decided to push himself up to his knees then stand up without setting up first. He knew there was chores to do so he reached for his clothes from the night before. Once Luke was dressed he went to the bottom of Bo's bed and tapped his foot, "Bo."

Bo grumbled but began to stir.

Luke left the room heading for the kitchen and coffee. As Luke came in the kitchen his eyes met his Uncle's, "Morning Uncle Jesse." He said like normal as he reached for a coffee cup.

"Mornin' Luke." Jesse said.

NARRATOR: Folks this may be like any other morning greeting between them two, but I feel the tension all the way here.

Luke stood at the kitchen sink drinking his coffee while he looked across the farm as he often did while waiting on Bo to make his appearance.

Bo turned on his side as Luke left the room and regretted it. He made sure to find a pair of jeans a looser than the ones he'd worn the day before, but they offered little comfort this morning. Bo knew Luke would be back for him if he didn't get a move on. He finished dressing and went to the kitchen where he barely voiced as if pouting, "Mornin'."

Jesse and Luke had both seen him act like this since he had been in this world, "Morning Bo." They both replied.

Daisy came in the kitchen in a cautiously, "Morning ya'll." She hadn't picked up on the men's moods yet but she was nearly certain that the events of yesterday were not forgotten by any of them.

Luke handed Bo his coffee and reached for another cup as they greeted Daisy.

Bo went to his chair at the table still not completely awake and set down rather hard only to grimace and quickly change position.

Daisy made it to her chair but wisely sat down rather gently.

Trying to act casually, Bo got up and went to the refrigerator and got out the cream, added some to his coffee, then joined Luke by the sink. He hoped no one remembered the fact that he seldom used cream in his coffee.

Jesse hadn't missed a thing as he silently watched the three.

Luke finished his coffee a couple minutes later and said to Bo, "You about ready?"

Bo wasn't ready. In fact he was ready to go back to bed for at least the next couple days. He knew by his attempt to set at the table that most anything he did today would not be pleasant. He was smart enough to know that he'd never get away with that option, so he gulped the last drink of coffee and said, "May as well be."

Luke put his cup on the counter to use again at breakfast then headed to the door.

Once a safe distance from the house Bo grumbled, "Luke I can't imagine how you are this morning. You should be hurting far worse than me this morning, yet you act like you are fine."

"Look, Bo, what good would it do? We BOTH put ourselves in the situation we did yesterday. Jesse was only trying to see that we don't do it again. Believe me I'm not anymore happy about bein' out here than you are, but it's got to get done and grumblin' and poutin' ain't gonna change that, so the sooner we get done the sooner we can go eat." Luke reminded his younger cousin who was always hungry.

"Sorry Luke. I'm not poutin'." Bo said as an after thought.

"Are to." Luke said.

"Am not." Bo replied.

Luke sighed, "Bo you are. ... And you need to 'get out of it'."

Bo glared and headed off to start his chores as Luke went to his.

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Chores were finished, breakfast was cooked. Bo and Luke washed up, filled their plates. They both stood at their chairs until after grace was said, then as if they were being punished as children, promptly took their plates to the mantel of the fire place. Jesse watched them go. Both 'boys' knew they were not being punished further, but both decided on the 'self imposed' punishment of eating at the mantel opposed to setting down at the table. Jesse didn't say a word. Least wise until breakfast was done and dishes stacked. Jesse poured a cup of coffee, stood up and before heading to the porch reminded, "Be ready to leave for church in one hour."

The three cousins watched him go without saying a word.

Luke was already dreading this morning before Jesse reminded them it was Sunday.

Bo grumbled, "I don't want to go to church. I would rather stay home today, them pews are hard enough without already havin' problems settin' down." He saw Daisy and Luke give him a 'look'.

Finally, Luke said, "If I were you, I'd just get ready to go. Trust me, if you have problems setting now, another whippin' today will not help and will hurt far worse than yesterday."

"Shoot." Bo said as he headed to the shower.

Exactly one hour later all the Dukes headed to the cars. Jesse to the pick up. Daisy would be riding with him. Luke looked at the damages to his Torino as he approached it. He swore under his breath. Somehow in the darkness the cars damages looked far lesser than they did in the early morning Hazzard hours. He tossed Bo the keys and opened the passenger side door. Luke knew he still could have drove to church. Jesse hadn't told him that he couldn't have and he still had his license, but he hoped he would be more comfortable on the passenger side of his car.

Bo gently set down in the drives seat. "Owe."

Luke was still standing at the passenger door, "I don't want to hear it." Luke took his seat and tried to find a position to lessen his discomfort.

At the church the boys waited to the last possible moment to take their places with Jesse and Daisy. As was the custom since they were small children, Bo set beside Jesse and Luke furthest away beside Daisy. Jesse and Levinia had found these positions worked best for all concerned when the boys were small and the custom had not changed as they grew up.

Several times during the sermon Jesse elbowed Bo to stop fidgeting and even had to tap Luke on the shoulder a few times.

No position the boys found was comfortable or found any relief on the hard church pews. The sermon seemed to go on much longer than normal at least for the boys. Daisy was even searching for a position to make her tender behind stop burning from it's paddling the night before. She didn't want to think about how bad the boys felt, as she had only received two of the licks. She especially felt bad for Luke who had receive nearly double the licks her and Bo had together, yet he moved the least. As the sermon closed, everyone filed outside. Daisy was with Jesse as he talked to Parson Brown. She saw Luke being approached by one of the many 'single' females of Hazzard who had likely heard about him and Robin no longer dating. Luke smiled politely, listened, turned down the 'offer', then turned toward his car alone. Both Daisy and Bo held their breath as they watched Robin intercept him at the car.

Trying to maintain a pleasant look for all that watched her, Robin said through gritted teeth, "What is the meaning of getting Ralph put in jail?"

Luke smiled at her, "Seems you have your information all wrong. Rosco got a call about racing and came up. He found me and Ralph in a fight, only because I was swung on after helping get him out of the ditch. You have seen me race. I like my paint, even if it is just primer. Take a look at what was done to MY paint when he tried to stick me in the ditch and lost control. Then he found the need to admit that we had been racin' to Rosco. So tell me how you blame that on me?"

Robin looked Luke in the eyes, then looked his car over, finally looked back at him saying, "Sorry, guess I was out of line." She knew Luke well enough to know when he was lying. This was not one of those times. That only meant Ralph had lied to her, she concluded as she walked toward her car.

Luke leaned against the car watching her walk away as he waited on Bo.

Bo had been stopped by Linda Sue. They had talked at the party on Friday. It had been a class end of the year party that everyone convinced Bo to go to instead of 'following Luke'. Bo knew in hind sight, had he went with Luke, the charges would likely have been worse against his cousin, as he too would have likely been drinking too.

Linda Sue knew the Dukes always had a big dinner on Sundays and usually invited the Davenports and others over. She had stopped Bo in hopes of being invited today. Linda Sue had no idea of the trouble that had brewed since she last seen Bo at the party.

Bo was glad for the attention as well as the distraction from his current state, so he talked the talk as if nothing was a mist at the Duke farm right up until he was cornered.

Linda Sue said, "I'm free all afternoon."

Bo grimaced. 'Free' would not describe his current state. "Yeah, well, I only wished I was."

Linda Sue replied, "You aren't?" She feared the worse that he had decided to date someone else.

"No, but not for the reasons you may be thinking." Bo replied.

Linda Sue waited.

"Ya see, Luke got into some trouble the other night. I sorta let my mouth dig a hole for myself. I'm sorry and any other time I'd love to do something." Bo half way explained.

"You would? Really?" Linda Sue asked.

"Really." Bo replied.

"OK, I'll hold ya to it." Linda Sue said as let her hand wander to his backside and gently gave him a slight pinch.

It may have been a slight pinch and any other time Bo would have welcomed it, but at this moment in time it down right hurt.

Bo tensed without thinking and moved away from Linda Sue saying only, "I've got to get going. I'll call ya when I can."

Linda Sue only nodded as Bo went to the car where Luke waited on him.

The boys found the vinyl of the car seats much harder on the trip home than it had been on the way to town after setting so long on the hard church pews. Bo asked, "So what did Robin want?"

Luke replied, "Just drive Bo. We'll talk about it at the farm." Luke knew if they started a conversation that Bo's foot had a tendency to get a bit light on the gas.

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After a late lunch, due to the sermon going longer than normal, the dishes were done and left overs put away. Jesse took his paper and tea to the rocker on the porch.

On a normal Sunday, Cooter would have been over and the three boys would have hung out on the farm a spell, then headed out to meet or chase girls. Bo looked at Luke, "Any ideas about today?"

Luke had hoped to maybe head to the stream that bordered the back side of the Duke property with the excuse of doing some fishing. Jesse had told him he needed to ask to leave the farm and the stream was on the farm, but something told Luke he needed to clarify before heading out, "Let me check something."

Bo and Daisy listened as Luke went to the porch where Jesse sat reading.

Luke tried to act causal as he leaned against the porch rail. He hadn't had to do this in sometime and felt about three doing it now, "Uncle Jesse, ... What are our boundaries today?"

Jesse folded his paper, took a drink of tea, and looked at his oldest nephew. He knew Luke had been the voice of the three for years in situations like this, unless they sent Daisy to try to butter him up. Jesse hadn't had to give answers like this in sometime but decided to leave no room for misunderstandings, "No piling up in bed until bedtime; no out going calls; if you answer the phone and its for you or the others explain that you can't talk; no television; no working today."

Luke thought 'so far so good' as for going fishing. He put his tongue in check and asked, "Geographic boundaries?"

Jesse knew the farm was sizable and didn't plan to spend the day checking to make sure the three was doing as told. He looked Luke in the eye and replied, "Farm yard."

It had been a good thing that Luke had put his tongue in check because he nearly swore. Wisely he only nodded and went back in the house to find Daisy and Bo standing just inside the door. After trying to count 'ten' Luke said, "You heard?"

Daisy said, "Yeah, no phone."

Bo frowned deeper, "No watchin' the race."

Luke nodded that they both had the idea. He knew setting anywhere to do anything was out for him so he headed to the barn gathered some tools and headed toward the Torino. He began taking the door apart to get to the inside to start beating out the damage that had been caused.

Bo soon found him, "Luke, Jesse said no working."

"Look if there is work to do we can't 'piddle' with the cars, right?" Luke said.

Bo nodded slowly thinking that he seen where Luke was going with this.

"So, I'm not working on it. I'm piddling." Luke said with a bit of a grin and a raised eyebrow.

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Sorry, not much action in this chapter but more of a bridge to get on into the good stuff.


	11. Returning to school

Just wanted to tahnks those who are reading adn especially those who take the time to review. Also, thanks to BL Davenport and Hiliary Davenport who gave me a few nudges through this chapter which is in bold print. I've been out of school a long time and needed to borrow their input. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 11

With only a couple weeks of school left, Jesse knocked on the boys door, then Daisy's as he went to make coffee.

Luke had been awake before Jesse knocked after spending one of the tamest, most boring Sunday's he had in years. Luke managed to roll to his side without putting too much weight on his still sore hips and behind. He got dressed, tapped Bo on the foot, "Let's go Bo."

Bo grumbled.

Luke said, "Come on you only have to do this a couple more weeks."

"A couple more too long!" Bo grumbled especially having to set down all day.

"Yeah, like I needed reminding of that. Thanks." Luke said as he went to the kitchen.

Jesse waited for all three 'kids' to get in the kitchen before he advised, "Ya'll need to hurry up or you will be late."

Luke took a leisurely sip of coffee, "We've got plenty of time. We don't leave until 7:40."

Jesse looked over his own coffee cup and said, "The bus runs at 7:10."

**"The bus!" Bo exclaimed they hadn't any of them rode the bus since Luke got his license. "We can't ride the bus that's humiliating when everybody knows Luke has a perfectly good car." **

Jesse said, "Beauregard you all will ride the bus to and from school the rest of the year. Anymore sas and you can head on out to the woodshed now."

Luke grimaced as he closed his eyes. Riding the bus today would be bad enough but Bo had just made sure that they all rode it the rest of the year and he likely wasn't done yet.

**Bo opened his mouth to say something then his sore behind rubbed against the counter and he thought better of it staying quiet instead.**

Luke also managed to step on the toe of Bo's boot hoping that he'd get the hint.

Daisy waited until she saw Bo was going to stay quiet, "Uncle Jesse I'm scheduled to work after school. The boys always bring me home to change and then take me to work."

Jesse said calmly, "Take your clothes, ride the bus, and change at the Boar's Nest. I'll be by to pick you up."

Daisy's eyes flew open wide in disbelief. She hadn't ever known Jesse to ground them like this. Sure, they'd all been made to do extra chores or not be allowed to go out a night or two, but nothing like this.

Luke hadn't really wanted to take his car sporting all it's body damage, but he didn't want to ride the bus either.

Bo, who would be a Jr. next year felt this would be totally humiliating.

NARRATOR: Heck everyone in Hazzard who had a car or a license didn't ride the bus. If they didn't drive themselves they would ride with a friend. Even Enos drove to school.

Jesse added, "I did say you all would be riding the bus, not riding with anyone else. Got me?"

Luke knew Jesse had 'seen' right what he was thinking. He tried to hold in the sigh he felt, "Come on Bo. We got to move to get done and on that bus."

Bo didn't hold his sigh as he replied, "Yeah."

Daisy's mind kicked into over drive trying to think of all the extra stuff she had to take to school to have to get ready for work. She knew she'd forget something as she hurried to get her morning chores done so she could get ready for school before breakfast.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

No one knew who was more surprised when the Hazzard County bus turned the bin just before the Duke farm and saw the three young Dukes apparently waiting to board it. The driver did a double take and nearly half of the few students, who hadn't managed to get a ride or talk their parents into not sending them the last few days of school, nearly hit the floor as the brakes were applied at the unexpected location.

Luke, being a Senior, knew he could go to the back of the bus and get either back seat he wanted without any problems from the young students or the driver.

As he boarded the driver, who had been driving for Hazzard County since Luke started school, school gave Luke a 'knowing smirk' and said, "Guess what I been hearing is true?"

Luke sighed and started to flop into the seat behind the driver, but realized before he hit the seat that he may want to slow his descent down before hitting the seat. He sat more gently as Daisy and Bo made their way further back in the bus seeing friends to set with. "Depends on what you've been hearing."

Not only was the bus driver a bus driver, he was also a member of Hazzard's Volunteer Fire Department and drove weekends for Tri-Counties Ambulance service. So if it happened in the Tri-Counties, Terry knew it. He started by saying, "Heard you were up at the lake and your foot got a bit heavy."

The statement had enough truth to it that Luke knew he'd heard something, but he was obviously fishin' for details. Luke decided to just basically agree, "Something like that." It was too early in the morning and the hard seats on the bumpy dirt road wasn't helping his behind or his mood.

Terry wasn't done, "So if the car is so fast, how did ol' Rosco catch you?"

"I was out of the car and in the middle of 'discussing' with the other driver how I nearly get ran off the road and even though he is the one who ended up in the ditch he decided to jump me after I helped get him out of the ditch." Luke explained, then added, "I didn't see Rosco until he grabbed me."

Terry nodded, "So how bad is your car?"

"It's not. Body damage is about it. I'm just glad I hadn't gotten it painted yet." Luke said.

Asking the obvious, "So why are ya'll riding the bus?"

Luke shrugged and replied, "Two words, 'Uncle Jesse'. I figure you better get used to stoppin' for us for the rest of the year."

"Wow!" Terry replied as they pulled up to the school, "That unhappy?"

"Yes." Luke said as he stepped off the bus.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Leaning up against the wrecker near where the students parked and unloaded from the buses was Cooter Davenport who had graduated the year before. He had missed church on Sunday and hadn't seen hide nor hair of a Duke since Daisy and Bo picked up Luke's car Saturday afternoon. Since he had to drop off his younger sister and cousin, LB, at school he decided to wait until the Dukes slide in in Luke's Torino to see exactly how much trouble his friends were in. His question was pretty much answered when the bus pulled in and the Dukes stepped off it. He called to the older Duke, "Luke!"

Luke knew the voice behind him as he turned away from the school and back to his friend.

"Come on, I know the Torino ain't in that bad a shape that you couldn't have brought it to school." Cooter said as more of a statement than a question.

Luke replied, "No, you are right about that."

"So, why the bus?" Cooter asked.

Luke sighed, "Uncle Jesse's idea."

"Ooouuhhh, that bad?" Cooter asked.

"Worse." Luke replied.

Cooter let a low whistle fly and said, "Do tell."

Luke tried to make the long story short, "We've been limited to the farm yard all weekend and now the bus for the rest of the year."

Cooter smiled, "Well, I'll be pickin' the others up after school. I can give ya'll a ride home."

Luke smiled, "Thanks, but that would only get us all in deeper."

"He'll still be out workin' when ya'll get out of school. He'll never know." Cooter said.

Luke had tried to out fox Jesse like this before and it usually ended badly, "I'm much obliged Cooter, but I'm still havin' considerable trouble settin' down now and it's just not worth the chance for me. I'm in enough trouble now."

Cooter grimaced. He had been a guest in Jesse's woodshed before and knew exactly what Luke meant. "Ok, but I'll be here if you or the others change your mind."

Luke waved his hand as he headed off to class. He really didn't need a call to Jesse from the school about him being late for class. He headed off to his first class and found his seat as the last bell rang. Taking his seat Luke knew this day was going to be longer than he wanted from the feeling he was getting from the hard seat he was setting in.

Just then Luke heard a couple of girls behind him saying, "Did you hear, ... Luke and Ralph were racing, ... Rosco took them to jail."

The other female replied, "You are kidding?"

"No, ... I heard it from, ... who heard it from, ..." The first said.

The second added, "Well, you know Ralph and Robin have been tight for awhile now."

"Yeah, I heard that! Also heard there was a big blow up with Luke and Robin last week." The first girl said.

It seemed Luke was only hearing the important parts of this conversation.

**From somewhere behind a piece of paper flew onto Luke's desk but it wasn't crumpled like garbage it was a neatly folded note. Opening it Luke read...**

ML., Did you hear that? I've know the guys have been racin' each other for awhile now. Maybe we need to check it out? C.

C., Yes I heard it! Also, heard they spent the night in jail and no one has seen any them except in church on Sunday. ML.

ML., Wonder why they were there over night? I bet Mr. D wasn't happy about it, which is why he ain't been out. C.

'C., Wonder how hot L is after a night in jail and all weekend at the farm? Bet I could cool him down. ML'

Luke tucked the small paper in his shirt pocket. He had an idea who ML was and planned to see her after class.

Mary Lou Pringle seen her note intercepted and nearly died when Luke read it and put it in his pocket.

Claire Rogers never seen the note intended for her as class started.

As class started, Luke realized the seat that he'd set in all year was a lot harder than what he remembered. He changed position and tried to listen to the teacher.

Miss Stacks was saying, "The Electoral College consists of the popularly elected representatives (electors) who formally elect the President and Vice President of the United States. Since 1964, there have been 538 electors in each presidential election."

Luke already knew how the voting process worked. He had researched it himself before voting in his first election earlier in the month. He thought the lesson was ill planned as it would have been useful a couple months ago while the campaigning for President and other offices was going on. He changed position again and looked at the clock. There was still thirty minutes left in this class and six more to go.

The teacher continued, "The election for President and Vice President is not a direct election by United States citizens. Citizens vote for electors, representing a state, who are the authorized constitutional participants in a presidential election."

Luke changed position again, then thought of the note in his pocket. He got it out and re read it. Then, began to write, "If you are interested in watching the races, come on up. I can think of several ways to cool down..."

Mary Lou seen Luke take out the note and begin writing on it. She was trying to get Claire's attention to try to get the note from him since Claire was in front of Luke and closer that Mary Lou.

Luke tuned out as Ms. Stacks continued, "In early U.S. history, some state laws delegated the choice of electors to the state legislature. In many states electors are technically free to vote for anyone eligible to be President, but in practice pledge to vote for specific candidates and voters cast ballots for favored presidential and vice presidential candidates by voting for correspondingly pledged electors." *****

He continued to write on the note, "First, we could ..."

Ms. Stacks had seen Luke shifting in his seat much more often than normal and now he was writing something that she didn't think was class notes. As she talked she walked around the room and confirmed that Luke was writing on a folded slip of paper. She stopped in mid lecture and as Luke was still writing unaware she was standing behind him looking over his shoulder.

The class looked up to see why the teacher had stopped talking. Mary Lou nearly crawled under her chair.

Only then did Claire see why Mary Lou had not passed the note back yet. Luke had it.

"Mr. Duke ... " Miss Stacks, who had been a spinster all her life held out her wrinkled hand for the note. "I understand there are only a few more days of class before you all to graduate. But, you all haven't finished with classes yet."

Luke turned to see Miss Stacks hand waiting on the note. If he hadn't known he'd be in far worse trouble he'd have sworn right there. Thankful that he hadn't finished his sentence on the note before handing it over to her.

Miss Stacks normally had the person caught with the note read it out loud to the class, but she had found that sometimes it wasn't such a good idea in high school.

The class was eager to hear the note as they knew that Miss Stacks normally had students read notes they were caught with.

Miss Stacks said, "Since you all know all about what I was lecturing on put your books and notes away and get out a sheet of blank paper."

A chorus of, "Ah's." and a few, "Thanks Luke." were heard as the class did as they were told.

Miss Stacks went to her desk and began asking questions as she read the note, then promptly blushed as red as Hazzard's fire engines. Glad that she had not had the Duke boy read this to the class. The quiz consisted of only ten questions so if the student missed more than three they would not pass the quiz. The last question was asked as the bell sounded. "Turn in your quizzes. Mr. Duke, Miss Rogers, and Miss Pringle please stay after class." With a class this small Miss Stacks had checked the rooster and determined no one else with the initials on the note in the class. As the rest of the class thinned out she began, "I know the last few days of each school year it is difficult for students to pay attention with the nice weather and other activities, which makes disturbances of this nature even worse. She handed each an index card with their name and todays date on it. Report to lunch detention for one week and her signature.

Both girls were on the prom committee and worked on decorations at lunch as the prom was Saturday night. Both started to voice an objection** but were cut off by the teacher. "And furthermore, parents will be notified. I should have you each denied the right to graduate and have to repeat the year but my power doesn't extend that far. I am also requesting you each see the school counselor."**

Luke gritted his teeth and hoped to make it out of the classroom before he exploded. He did NOT need this sort of trouble. Jesse would have one more fit! He took the index card summonings him to detention and left the room. He was nearly ran over by Bo who had History from the same teacher the following class period.

"Luke? What are you still doing here? You are usually long gone before I get here." Bo said.

Seeing the several teachers in the hallway Luke wisely bite his tongue and said quietly, "This."

Bo read the index card. "Oh Lord."

Daisy was walking by them and heard Bo's remark, "What's wrong fellows?"

Bo handed her the index card. Daisy looked at Luke wide eyed, "Luke! What did you do now? Aren't you in deep enough with Uncle Jesse?"

"Yes, I was, but it looks like I'm gonna be in deeper by the end of the day." Luke said, then added, "The old battle ax is calling him."

"Christ!" Bo exclaimed. He knew all too well how much trouble Luke was in with Jesse and the law and now school. "What did you do?"

"Picked up a note that landed on my desk, read it. It was about me so I decided to answer it." Luke said.

It sounded reasonable to both his cousins, until he added, "Then, I got caught answering it." He was met by groans and grimaces from Daisy and Bo.

"Thanks ya'll I needed that sort of encouragement." Luke said as the girls exited the class room.

Claire Rogers said as she saw Luke, "Thanks for making us miss decorating for the prom."

Luke said, "I didn't start that note."

Claire huffed and went down the hall.

Mary Lou gave Luke a look and started to tell him off for getting caught with the note, but when his eyes met hers all she could do was blush crimson then bolt down the hallway.

Daisy said, "I've got to get to class ya'll. I hope we do something in gym that don't involve setting down."

Bo frowned having just came from gym class, "Hate to tell you it's Health today and the bleachers are hard as rocks."

"Thanks, Bo I needed that." Daisy said as she hurried off.

Luke said, "I better get too."

Bo walked in and set his books down and waited until the last minute to take his seat. He may not have gotten as many licks as Luke did but he was none too eager to take his seat either. The bell rung and Bo reluctantly took his seat.

Miss Stacks came in and said, "Open your books to page 200. Today we will be exploring World War I."

Bo opened his book with a sigh. History and war stragety was Luke's thing not his.

Miss Stacks began, "World War I was a military conflict centered on Europe that began in the summer of 1914. The fighting ended in late 1918 in western Europe and by 1922 in eastern Europe."

Bo was already bored and began fidgeting in his seat from the combined hardness of the seat and the soreness of his behind.

Miss Stacks took notice of the younger Duke boy acting much like his older cousin in her previous class as she continued, "This conflict involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (centered around the Triple Entente) and the Central Powers."

Bo frowned and checked the clock. Well over forty minutes of this class left. He changed position again.

Brodie was setting behind him and asked as the teacher talked, "Did Luke really get arrested Friday night with Ralph Green?"

They had all played ball against Ralph and knew of him.

Bo barely managed a slight nod, 'yes'.

"Wow! Really?" Brodie said. "I heard it was for a fight?"

Bo nodded, 'yes' again and leaned back to add, "And racing and Rosco charged Luke with DUI."

"Oh, man! He'll loose his license sure as the world!" Brodie said.

"Maybe not." Bo said.

"More than 70 million military personnel, ..." Miss Stacks said as she saw Bo Duke shift in his seat again and say something to Brodie Smith. She paused, and both boys acted as if they were now paying attention, so she continued, "including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history. More than 15 million people were killed, also one of the deadliest conflicts in history. The war is also known as the First World War, the Great War, the World War (prior to the outbreak of World War II), and the War to End All Wars.*******

During Miss Stacks lecture, Bo had changed position several more times and continued to whisper to Brodie.

Miss Stacks had seen the conversation between the two boys, she also knew that the class was more interested in their conversation than her lecture. She sighed. She hated the last few weeks of school for this reason, "Close your books, put up your notes and get out a clean sheet of paper."

Bo and Brodie had not realized they had been caught talking in class.

After the quiz, Miss Stacks said as the bell rang, "Mr. Duke, Mr. Smith please come up here before leaving." She handed each an index card with the the date, their name, her signature and they were to report to lunch detention for one week." She added, "I was going after this class to call your uncle about Luke, I guess I can now make one call for you both."

Bo sighed and swore to himself. This was not going to be good.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Several minutes before the lunch bell rang the classroom speakers came to life, "Lucas Duke, Mary Lou Pringle, Claire Rogers, Beauregard Duke, Brodie Smith report to the office."

Greatful to get out of the hard seat early Luke picked up his books and started out of the room. He saw Robin grin as he left followed by Mary Lou and Claire. The two girls were not used to being in trouble of any sort let alone in trouble with the elder Duke boy. Luke wondered as he got to the hall way what Bo and Brodie had done.

Bo heard Luke being called to the office and wasn't at all surprised to hear his and Brodie's name also called. As they entered the hallway, he said to Brodie, "Looks like we're going to end this year off on the wrong foot."

"Looks like." Brodie shrugged.

The three boys were no stranger to this sort of trouble and the girls knew it. Mary Lou shyly reached for Luke's arm just before getting to the office, "What's gonna happen?"

Luke tried to be reassuring before Bo and brodie arrived, "Miss Stacks, your parents, Uncle Jesse and Mr. Jack will probably want to have a nice long talk 'about us'. We usually don't get much say so in these meetings."

Mary Lou was both relieved and worried by Luke's information.

As the five entered the outer office, Luke said to Bo, "What did you do?"

"I'm not rightly sure. In the middle of class Miss Stacks pulled a quiz and as class ended she gave me an index card like yours." Bo explained.

"Great!" Luke fumed. Now it wasn't only him in trouble but Bo as well. Jesse would not be happy at all about this turn of events.

Just the the principal's secretary came out of the back office, "Luke, Principal Jack will see you now."

Leaving his books, he went to the inner office. He hoped he could control his mouth during this meeting or he knew he'd pay for it later.

Jesse, Miss Stacks and Principal Jack were seated as he came in. "Take a seat Luke." The principal said.

Though he'd rather stand Luke took a seat in a much more comfortable seat than he'd been in all morning. He was given a copy of the note that he had been answering in class. "Does this look familiar to you?"

Luke sighed, "Yes, Sir."

"Tell me why it does." Mr. Jack said.

Jesse was frowning already as Luke said, "I found it on my desk as the bell rang in 1st period today."

"Who wrote it?" Mr. Jack asked.

Luke replied, "I have no idea."

Jesse's frown deepened. He knew what Luke was trying to do.

Miss Stacks added, "Sir, in my first class there is only one person with the initials 'ML' and 'C'."

Luke quickly ran the students in his class for a loop hole, but the teacher was right.

Miss Stacks added, "I know that the end of their senior year is close at hand but I will not have my classes disturbed."

Mr. Jack asked, "What do you suggest?"

Miss Stacks said, "I'd like to see all three of them made to repeat the entire year."

Jesse could see her point up to now but that was taking things way out of proportion.

Mr. Jack said, "Thank you for you opinion Miss Stacks. I'll talk to the others and get back to you all."

After several long minutes of meetings Mr. Jack called Luke, Jesse, Miss Stacks and both girls and their families inside. "I have no other choice but to agree with Miss Stacks that you three were involved in disturbing her class. As you each know Miss Stacks recommends you each to repeat the 12 th grade." He paused. "I think that is a bit severe. I have checked the prom rooster and find only Miss Pringle and Miss Rogers on it. Mr. Duke are you planning on attending the prom?"

Everyone, especially Jesse was surprised when Luke replied, "No, Sir. I don't."

"I see, well it would not be fair to make the ladies miss something like this if you aren't planning to also be there. We'll just go with the lunch detention for this week and I take it there will be no further disruptions in class?"

The three seniors replied, "No. Sir."

Mr. Jack replied, "You can report to lunch detention now."

Jesse added, "I'll see you at home."

Luke only nodded as he turned to leave the room. He far dreaded seeing Jesse at home more than he did the lunch detention even though he didn't look forward to setting through another hour at a desk.

Bo was called in as Luke was getting his books. Luke gave him a 'good luck' glance as he left the office for detention in the counselors office.

Mr. Jack looked at Bo and told him to take a seat. Bo grimaced from the idea of setting anywhere but did so. "I'm told that you and Mr. Smith were disrupting Miss Stacks class."

"Mr. Smith?" Bo frowned. He didn't know a Mr. Smith, then it hit him, "Brodie?"

Mr. Jack nodded, 'yes'.

Bo replied honestly, "He asked me about somethings that happened this weekend. I answered him, but didn't think we disturbed the class."

Miss Smith spoke up, "Whatever the conversation, young man, the class was more interested in it than World War I."

Jesse and Bo waited outside the main office while they talked to Brodie and his mother, then returned as Mr. Jack informed them that he expected no more trouble from them the rest of the year and they could report to detention.

Jesse also reminded Bo that he'd see him at home.

Bo walked into the counselors office to join Luke in detention. The conversation he walked into surprised him.

Luke was casually leaning against a desk saying, "Coach I swear, all I was doing was writing on the note. I had no intention of passing it in class. It landed on my desk before class started." He explained to the counselor and coach on detention duty this week. Luke had played ball for him and got alone well with the man.

Coach replied, "Ok, so tell me the rest of the story about what I'm hearing that went on this weekend."

"I really hate small towns." Replying sarcastically, "You do remember Ralph Green, the Defensive End for Placid County?"

The Coach still remembered the games dating back to Luke's first games for him as a Sophomore. The season ended as he recalled with Luke with several broken ribs and Ralph being taken from the field by ambulance. He grimaced, "I remember."

Luke added, "Well, he challenged me to a race by the lake..."

Coach added, "You couldn't pass that up?"

"No." Luke said with a pause. "There had been several others racing all evening and I had been watching, but that was something I had to do. It seems the Sheriff had gotten a call about the racing and happened by after the race, which ended me winning and Ralph in the ditch after he tried to put me there. We all worked to get his car out and after it was out he called me a cheat and swung on me."

The coach knew the young man in front of him. He whistled long and low. He held up his hand and said, "Say no more." he could picture the following events. "Well, find something to do until next class."

Luke had seen Bo standing just outside the door, "I think your office is going to be mighty crowded, Coach. The office was full when I left."

Coach looked up to see Bo standing there and Brodie behind him. "How many more can I expect?" he picked up the keys to his classroom across the hall.

Luke replied, "That should be it unless your getting the girls too."

Coach shook his head and started to his classroom, "Get 'comfy' I'll be back."

Luke and Bo layed their books down on two desks in the first row, Brodie flopped down in the third seat and asked his two still standing friends, "Why do I always let ya'll get me into stuff like this?"

Luke had actually found the corner of Coach's desk to lean against ratter than setting anywhere, "I was no where around, Brodie."

Bo said as he walked to the window watching the rest of the school enjoying their free time outside, "Hey, it was you who was talking to me."

Mary Lou and Claire were followed into the room by the coach and the girls' counselor, Mrs. Dixon, who just happened to be Miss Stacks sister.

Coach felt Mrs. Dixon staring a hole through him which pressured him to 'control' his students more than he normally would have, "Guys separate and take a seat."

The guys knew that they would have been far better off if Mrs. Dixon had not came into the room with the coach. Luke, was used to being the spokesperson and un-official leader at times like this, motioned to Bo and Brodie as he took the first seat in the first row.

Bo barely held in his sigh and moved his books to the last seat in the row.

They had all been here before and knew what the coach needed from them to 'save face'. Brodie moved to the back seat in the last row.

Mrs. Dixon instructed, "Ladies, there is a seat up front in the last row and on center row center seat available."

Neither of the girls were used to being in any trouble, let alone detention, but Mary Lou made the first move toward the first seat in the last row.

Claire moved to the seat in the center of the room.

Mrs. Dixon said as she went to his windows and pulled the shades, "Coach I appreciate you taking these girls. I do need to make copies for my next class but I will be by often to check on them."

Coach nodded. He did not miss the fact that Mrs. Dixon would be by to check 'on him'. As Mrs. Dixon left the room, he advised, "Sorry ya'll but you know how she is. Find something to look busy."

Luke sighed. He would have rather stood in a corner somewhere as to be setting at a desk for the entire lunch brake.

Claire and Mary Lou both opened a book they had with them to a random page to look busy, but had no real intentions of reading the information. They were more concerned about their mothers wrath when they got home after reading the note they had been posting, even before Luke had started to reply to it.

Brodie flipped open a book then propped his head up for a lunch time nap.

Bo turned to a blank page in his notebook, starred at the page for several minutes the started to sketch something.

Luke when to the Coach's desk thumbed through his magazines on his desk took on and went back to his seat. Luke opened his notebook, layed the magazine in it then opened a text book in front of his notebook.

Bo noticed that both Mary Lou and Claire were now blaming Luke for their being in trouble, so he decided to try his luck at getting Claire's attention since she was closest to him.

Claire not only figured that she was in way too much trouble already, also couldn't see herself as a senior, giving a sophomore any attention.

Luke was reading a Mopar magazine article about the Hemi engine, when he heard footsteps in the hall. He closed his notebook covering the magazine then the others seen why he had taken that seat in the classroom as he turned slightly to get Bo's attention snapped his fingers and pointed to Brodie.

Bo managed to get Brodie's attention, who seat up and flipped a page in his book as Mrs. Dixon stepped through the door.

The sight of the five appearingly studious teens didn't fool the veteran teacher for a second. She stepped to Luke's desk, picked up the text book in front of him, scanned the page and asked, "So tell me about Robert E. Lee."

Brodie, Claire and Mary Lou's eye's nearly bugged out of their heads.

Bo shook his head slightly. He could not believe Luke had been that smart.

Luke acted as if he were thinking really hard, before answering to both Mrs. Dixon and the Coach's surprise, "Just before he Virginia succeeded from the Union, President Lincoln asked Lee to command the entire Union Army. Even though Lee didn't like their decision, he had to follow his home state, where he served as a senior military adviser to President Jefferson Davis." *********

Mrs. Dixon handed Luke the book back and walked out of the room.

Coach finished his sandwich and walked to the doorway, looked down the hall, after seeing that Mrs. Dixon was gone, he asked, "Luke how did you do that? I know you wasn't reading the text book."

"I like reading about the Civil War and I've read that information before." Luke said as the bell to return to class rang.

The rest of the day went by fairly calm, but Luke was still hearing some talk about Friday night even as he, Bo and Daisy got off the bus at the farm. The first thing the three noticed was Jesse's pickup was home. He was usually never home when they got home from school. Bo groaned, "Ut-oh."

Luke sighed and said sarcastically, "This day just keeps getting better."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The above information was taken in part from the following locations:

***** Note: Above was taken in part from Wikipedia ref Electorial College information. .org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)

******* Note: Above was taken in part from Wikipedia ref World War I information. .org/wiki/World_War_I

********* Note: Above was taken in part from Wikipedia ref World War I information. .org/wiki/Robert_E._Lee "In early 1861, President invited Lee to take command of the entire Union Army. Lee declined because his home state of Virginia was, despite his wishes, seceding from the Union. When Virginia seceded from the in April 1861, Lee chose to follow his home state. Lee's eventual role in the newly established Confederacy was to serve as a senior military adviser to ."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

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	12. Getting Ready For the End of the Year

Chapter 12

Jesse Duke was waiting for the three as they came in the door. "When you all finish your regular chores, Daisy you can work some more on the kitchen. Boys I want you to take the pick up out to the back forty. I've marked a couple good trees that have seasoned out real nice so they won't make much smoke. I need it cut and split before supper. I got a batch of mash ready to cook tonight. I've already sharpened the two man saw, the axes, splittin' mauls and wedges to save ya some time."

Luke would have rather saved time with the two perfectly good chain saws in the barn, but knew exactly what Jesse was doing. "Yes, Sir. Thanks for sharpening them up for us." He also knew that no one sharpened the tools like Jesse could which would make the job a bit easier."

At the mention of the hand tools Bo frowned. The job would take twice as long and twice the muscle to get it done.

After doing the regular chores, the boys headed out to cut the wood. Pulling up at the edge of the back forty Luke saw the trees in question, a red and black oak. Alone with only Bo to hear, Luke swore at the size of the trees. They would easily fill the pickup several times over.

Bo said, "If we start with the little stuff from the top of the trees we can fill a truck load and never have to split much of it.

"Bo we are getting off pretty lucky right now. Are you real sure you want to give Jesse a load of kindling?" Luke asked, then added, "With him havin' a batch of mash ready to cook?"

Bo sighed, "Yeah, I see your point. Not a good idea."

"No, not at all. Let's get at it." Luke said.

Awhile before supper, Jesse walked out to the back forty to see the boys progress. The pick up was loaded down with a good mix of both types of wood in several sizes. The rest of the two trees were cut into logs and the boys continued to split the wood even though the truck was full. Jesse said as he walked up to his nephews, "Take a breather boys."

Glad for the break in the hot summer evening sun, neither had to be told twice. Both grabbed their long ago shed shirts, wiped down and headed to the water cooler they had brought with them.

After several minutes of relaxing and cooling down Jesse said, "I think we've just got time to run this up to still site # 3 and get unloaded before supper." He headed to the pick up.

Not seeing they had a choice the boys put the tools on top of the wood and got in the truck. Jesse drove first to the barn and backed up to it, "Unload the tools and grab a sack of corn and two fifty pound bags of sugar. I'll start another bunch of mash as I cook this batch off."

Luke replied, "Yes, Sir." As he opened the truck door and got out. Entering the barn with only Bo behind him, "I hope he'll let me drive, if just from the flat up."

Bo groaned. "He always parks at the flat."

"Yelp, I don't mind the corn and sugar so much but all that wood a wheel barrel at a time will take forever." Luke said.

"Not to mention being a pain in many places." Bo said.

Luke looked at him, "That may be the entire point to all this. You and I both know there is enough chopped wood at every still site we have to last until winter."

Bo looked up confused. "Yeah, there is. So what's the point?"

"You know when you have a substitute teacher and they give you something like a word search or a cross word and make it count for a grade? Busy work?" Luke said.

"Yeah?" Bo replied, not seeing what this had to do with school.

"Bo this is busy work to keep us working our behinds off. Can't you see? He figures if we are tired and sore from work we'll be too tired to cause problems at school tomorrow." Luke explained.

Bo seen alright but replied, "Shoot, Luke I don't plan to get in no more trouble at school"

"So you planned to get into it today?" Luke asked as he shouldered fifty pounds of sugar.

"Well, no, but..." Bo replied.

"Exactly. Grab something and let's get going." Luke said.

Bo grumbled as he grabbed a sack of corn and followed Luke.

After getting loaded, Jesse drove the pick up to the flat just below the current location of still site number 3. He stopped the truck and looked at the invisible path that lead to the still, "Luke it's pretty dry and a vehicle hasn't been up that in some time. Do you think you can get this load up it and not spin the grass and rock up?"

Luke knew the importance of not digging the path up. It was large enough, barely to get the pick up to the still but a worn in path would give any one looking, a path straight to the still site. "Yes, Sir."

Jesse nodded, got out of the truck, walked to the passenger side door, then got back in. "Let's see it."

Luke and Bo moved over to let him in the truck as Luke felt the sweat begin to run down the back of his neck. It was hot, but not that hot. Luke had taken the truck up several times a few with out Jesse's knowledge and a few more without his permission. He had never been given the chance to show Jesse it could be done. Now he had the chance. The problem was, Luke knew that if he didn't take the truck up the hill in an acceptable manner that it would not be going back up the hill again. Luke took a deep breath, let it out slowly and replied as he put the truck in gear, "Yes, Sir."

To Jesse's surprise, Luke put the truck in reverse and began backing up the hilly path with enough speed to keep from spinning while going slow enough to dodge the trees and large rocks that bordered the curvy invisible path.

Luke pulled into a smaller flat opening a short distance from the still site which was what it appeared to be, an old hunting and fishing cabin. To any one who didn't know what they were looking at or what they were looking for they would never see the still built into the fireplace of the cabin. The fire box under the still could be fed from either inside the cabin or outside, which both heated the cabin in winter and cooked the mash. This was why this particular location was one of the favorites of all the Dukes.

Jesse looked at location where Luke parked. It was still a 'safe' distance from the unseen cabin. It was near enough to the stream to be fishing without anyone knowing there was even a cabin around.

Luke said, "This is as far as I ever take it. I think I could get it all the way but didn't want to risk it."

Jesse shook his head, both pleased with Luke's driving and judgment. "Ok, then, let's get at it."

The three worked to unload the pickup and made it back to the farm just in time for supper. Setting down to supper, it was obvious that Daisy had been hard at work cleaning the kitchen. She waited until everyone had finished supper, then brought out a fresh peach pie to go with coffee. As Daisy passed out the pie to Jesse at the head of the table, then to Bo, who was seated as usual on Jesse's left, and finally to Luke still happened to chose to stand at the fireplace mantle, she cleared her throat and said weakly, "Uncle Jesse, you said that I would be allowed to do some end of the year stuff?"

Jesse looked up at her, "Yes."

"I know Saturday is the Junior / Senior prom, but they need some helpers to help with refreshments and different things. Ms. Cline asked if I could help." Daisy said.

Jesse took a drink of coffee and considered this. Yes, she would get to do something she wanted to do, even though she was grounded, but it was more of a 'service' to the school than going just for her pleasure. "I'll think on it a spell." Jesse said, then looked to Luke, "That reminds me, you told the principal that you didn't plan to go to the prom. Why?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders and decided his answer would give his family more information about his personal situation than he had in the last couple weeks. He let out a heavy sigh, then began, "Robin and I have been in our 'off again' phase for sometime. I have planned to go to out Senior prom with her for the last couple years. I actually thought that is what she wanted to talk about when we went to talk or at least figured that would give me the chance to ask her." He paused, "Well, when she tried to box me in a corner about marriage, I walked." Luke saw the looks on his family. At least part of that was news to all them, but they still looked confused. "So with me walking I didn't ask her to the prom. Can't think of anyone really I wanted to go with instead of her, especially knowing she'll be there. Then Cooter was telling me that Beverly asked him to go with her but he had to drive the wrecker. I told him that I'd drive for him so he could go to the prom with Beverly. Then with everything that has been going on, I just hadn't gotten around to mentioning it." He looked at Jesse, "Is it alright that I still drive for him? He's already got his suit, the tickets and all."

Jesse knew that Luke never touched even a beer if he was driving for Cooter's dad and this was work not pleasure and would also give Luke some income to help pay his fines when he went to court. "Since you have given your word, I'll allow it.

"Thanks, Uncle Jesse." Luke replied.

Bo's 'wheels' were turning, yet he kept quiet for now. _Daisy was going to 'work' the prom. Luke was going to drive the wrecker. Where would he be? At home still grounded. It wasn't fair! _

Monday night and Tuesday were pretty normal even with the kids grounded. Wednesday morning Luke even managed to eat breakfast at the table for the first time since his whipping on Saturday. He may be setting at the table but the memory was still close to the surface. The three finished breakfast and though they still weren't happy about it caught the bus to school. The morning announcements kicked off an end of the year energy through out the school that would cause the usual yearly chaos. Mr. Jack braced himself before ever turning on the speakers to the classrooms, "Before I make this announcement, I want to remind you that you Seniors still have a week and a half of classes to go yet, while the rest still have a bit longer. With that in mind, what I am about to announce will be done in an orderly fashion and I will not tolerate classes being unnecessarily disturbed with socializing or tardiness. First, Seniors: You will be called in groups to pick up your cap, gowns, yearbooks, etc." He knew to pause there as a cheer went out by the student body and mainly the yearbook staff who had been pushing to get the last bit in so they would be ready before the end of the year. "Yes, the yearbooks are in." He paused again. "Juniors will be call in groups next to pick up class rings and yearbooks. Finally the Sophomores will be called to pick up yearbooks. If we don't get finished today, this will continue in this order until everything is picked up. PLEASE don't come by the office or the gym and ask about you order. The office doesn't have the information and interruptions in the gym will only slow down the process." He reached for the the list from the student helping with the distribution for the first list. "Seniors with last names beginning with 'A' through 'C', report to the gym. Teachers admit these students late. Everyone else report to class promptly after the bell."

The chattering that followed nearly covered the ringing bell dismissing homeroom. With everyone hitting the halls the volume of chatter only got louder. As the students moved on to their first class, if you were not a Senior with a last name starting with 'A, B or C', time began to move very slowly. As Luke arrived at Miss Stack's door it wasn't unusual to find Robin standing just outside the door talking to several of her friends. He went on in the classroom but didn't miss the conversation as Claire Rogers walked up, "We missed your help yesterday with the prom decorations." Robin said.

Claire replied, "Looks like you're going to miss it even more until the final stuff is done Friday evening."

The girls conversation was cut short as Miss Stacks came up to the door and began closing it as she walked into the room which gave the girls no other choice but to go into the room.

Luke had the sense to take his seat, open his book and at least prepare to act like he was paying attention. He actually hoped to be called out of this class to get his cap and gown but as the class drew on with only a few students coming back in with their packages he knew they hadn't gotten very far.

Miss Stacks, of course was annoyed as the others Seniors were trying to get a first look at the packages the students who returned to class of course brought with them to class.

The second class went much like the first. Finally during the third class the announcement came, "Seniors with last names starting with 'D' through 'M' report to the gym."

NARRATOR: Now that may seem like a lot more students than the first group that was called, but in this class it equaled out to about the same amount.

As Luke walked in he saw Robin's brother, Mark, motioning him over.

Mark was a bit older than Luke and Robin, but failed to have enough credits to graduate the year before due to being far too interested all the wrong things. He only took classes a half a day but his parents would not stand for him to not graduate, so he would be graduating with his sister, a fact that grated on his nerves.

Luke joined Mark. With Mark mostly being out of school and with Luke and Robin's on again off again relationship, it had been awhile since the two had spent a lot of time together.

"I talked to Cooter. Did Rosco really charge you with Driving Under the Influence?" Mark asked.

Luke frowned. This wasn't a conversation he really wanted to have right now. He had been looking forward to getting his cap and gown and moving one step closer to being out of school, but he knew Mark knew what had happened that night. He replied, "He sure did."

"But you only had what a beer or so while we were working to get **that jerk out of the ditch**." Mark said getting louder as he talked.

The glare his sister gave him for talking about her current boyfriend was not missed my either Mark or Luke as Robin walked by them.

Luke replied after Robin joined the girls on the other side of the gym, "That's right. I hadn't touched anything before racing. You, Cooter and I know that, but ..."

"Hey, I'll go with ya to court and Cooter said he would too." Mark said.

Looking across the room, Luke asked, "Do you think that decision will be very popular at home?"

"Since when is most of what I do popular at home?" Mark asked.

"What have you done now?" Luke asked hoping to change the subject off himself.

Mark gave Luke a bit of a grin, "One word." He paused, then said rather lowly, "Sharon."

Luke winced, "Jones?"

Mark looked at Luke confused, "Come on not you too?"

Luke held his hands up in front of himself and explained, "Hey. Not me. I just happen to have been in the near vicinity when their opinions were being voiced."

"She is not that bad Luke." Mark defended.

Luke shrugged his shoulders. He knew that when he and Robin weren't together he'd taken out several girls he'd never consider taking home to Jesse, which had not helped his relationship with Mark's sister at all. "Preachin' to the choir a bit there aren't you? If she suits you, who am I ta judge ya?"

Across the gym Robin was waiting her turn to pick up her graduation package with a couple of friends that she usually didn't have class with.

The girls had been talking about the upcoming prom on Friday night before Robin arrived. Debbie asked her, "What kind of flowers is Luke getting you for the prom?"

She figured the news of their break up had already made it all over school. Robin looked at Debbie confused before saying, "I'm not going to the prom with Luke."

Virginia looked totally surprised even though she had heard about them splitting up. "You're not serious. Come on, this is your Senior Prom. You have went to all the other proms with Luke. You'll regret not going with him this year after you two work things out."

Robin shook her head, "I don't see that happening."

Virginia had heard this before only to see Robin right back with Luke in hours or days of the conversation. "Come on. You know you have said all this before and always manage to work things out."

"Not this time. I finally seen he was only stringing me along. He never had any intentions of us being serious. All I wanted was to know that in a year or so I could start planning a wedding for after college. He told me to 'have a nice life'." Robin said, telling what had happened a bit differently than it actually happened.

Debbie almost couldn't wait for her to stop talking to ask, "You are still going to the prom? With who?"

Robin replied, "Ralph Green from..."

"Placid County?" Virginia finished the sentence in disbelief. She had been cheering beside Robin during all the games where Luke and Ralph were battling it out on the field and even having to see doctors after the games.

Looking only mildly embarrassed, Robin replied, "Yes, that is the one."

"Have you lost your mind?" Virginia asked.

Jill walked up just in time to hear Robin say she was going with Ralph Green, "You have got to be out of your mind. Luke seen you with him at the game last year and didn't kill him. You really think that it's such a good idea to parade him in Luke's face at the prom?"

Having heard about the events at the lake and Luke and Ralph's arrest the weekend before, Virginia added, "Especially after what happened at the lake."

"What in the world went on up at the lake with Luke last weekend?" Debbie asked as she hadn't heard the stories yet.

Virginia had been at the lake and seen what happened, so she answered before Robin had a chance to, "Luke and Ralph raced. Luke beat the socks off Ralph, who obviously tried to put Luke in the ditch. Funny thing was, Ralph ended up in the ditch. Cooter and the rest of the guys had a time getting him out of the ditch. Then Ralph had the nerve to swing on Luke." She paused to catch her breath before adding, "Then, the Sheriff showed up."

Debbie's eyes got big, "No way!"

The other three girls nodded yes.

Debbie had heard bits and pieces of the rumors but usually minded her own business, so she hadn't heard all the story until now. "What happened?"

Robin blushed crimson from her head to her toes even before Virginia opened her mouth.

Virginia had made it a point to find out what had happened because she thought Luke was a very fine specimen of the Hazzard County males. In fact she was standing where she could take in the view of his well tanned form as she spoke, "Ralph AND LUKE were arrested and spent several hours in jail before being bonded out. I hear they could be in some deep trouble. No one has seen the Duke boys out except for school since it happened."

Robin continued to blush. Wishing that her 'friend' hadn't been so informative.

"Really?" asked Debbie looking at Robin.

Having no other choice but to comment, Robin said quietly, "They were both arrested."

Virginia had been asked to the prom by Charlie months ago, but had to ask, "So who is Luke going to the prom with?"

The girls conversation was interrupted by them being called to separate lines to pick up various items of their packages and yearbooks.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The three Dukes got off the bus in a fury of conversation which only got louder as they walked up the long lane to the farm house. As they came through the back door it was still unusual for them to be met by their Uncle Jesse who normally worked away from the house until near dark. The natural reaction was for Daisy to want to show off her yearbook, Bo his class ring and Luke his graduation stuff.

Daisy began, "Uncle Jesse LOOK!"

Luke sensed something in his uncle's expression and reached out to silence Daisy. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Jesse merely handed Luke an envelope addressed to 'Lucas K Duke'.

Bo and Daisy stretched over each of Luke's shoulders to see the envelope. The return address was 'Hazzard County Circuit Court'. Bo tensed. Daisy gasped.

Luke took a deep breath and sighed as he turned the enveloped over seeing that as usual his mail had not been opened. He looked at Jesse with questions in his eyes.

Jesse indicated that he should open the envelope to find out what it contained.

Luke sighed again and bite his lip as he opened the envelope. He, as well as Jesse, pretty much figured that it was his court date. As Luke opened the letter, he was not disappointed to see a 'formal invitation' requesting his presence before Judge Hardcastle. He turned to the calendar on the wall and found the court date to be the Monday following graduation. Unthinkingly Luke swore out loud.

"Luke!" Jesse scolded then asked without giving Luke time to apologize, "When?"

"9 am, ... the Monday, ... after graduation." Luke said in frustration.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please review to let me know how I'm doing - it has been a long time out of school. This story refers back to previous story Luke's First Love. Both can stand alone and have various differences but I am looking back to it for information for this story. Thanks for reading.


	13. Prom Night is Here!

Sorry for the delay. Life has been busy in my part of Hazzard. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 13

Friday evening after school provided for a flurry of activity at the Duke farm and around the County. It seemed as everyone was getting ready for the prom. Everyone that is but Luke Duke. Daisy and Luke had helped Bo pick out a suit to wear and how to trim it when he found out that his date, Mary Kay Porter was wearing a sky blue dress. Bo would be wearing his blue suit with a darker blue shirt. Daisy had helped by ordering a wrist corsage in dark blue and white and a boutonniere in dark blue with the white baby's breath around it. With the arrangements made, Luke spent the rest of the evening painting the damaged areas of the Torino with primer. With any luck he could get it once again ready to paint while at the garage tomorrow night if his and Bo's class mates in Hazzard and surrounding counties managed to keep their cars on the roads and not in ditches.

Jesse found Luke standing on the porch looking out over the farm. Bo was allowed on the phone for a few minutes to finalize tomorrow evenings plans. Daisy was still trying to decide what to wear. Jesse said quietly, "Luke."

Luke turned around to face his uncle.

"You know that you can still go to the prom." Jesse saw him start to disagree, but cut him off. "You could go to the prom and drive the wrecker afterwords."

Luke knew that Luther would cover a few hours for him to do just that, but replied, "Thanks, but I'm tellin' you that it is not a good idea. I know Ralph will be there with Robin. I really don't want to ruin the prom for everyone else if I go and we get into it."

Jesse nodded. "I understand that. I just don't think it's right not to go to your only Senior prom."

"Even if I am grounded for life?" Luke asked.

Jesse gave him a slight smile, "I never said you was grounded 'for life'."

"No you didn't have to." Luke said.

Jesse shrugged and took his seat in his rocker. Luke was learning. It was taking him awhile but he was learning. Trouble was Luke was may have been learning but he also thought he knew way too much for his own good at times too.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Prom Night - Hazzard County

Bo was getting to go to his Junior prom, but not without restrictions. Jesse had made it clear to Bo that he could take the pickup but he would have to drop Daisy off at the school to set up, Bo could then pick up Mary Kay. Bo had also been informed that he would have to drop Mary Kay off early enough to be back to pick up Daisy after they cleaned up.

NARRATOR: Yes, it looks like Ol' Jesse is giving Bo just enough rope to hang himself.

Bo found Luke at the Torino and decided to beg one more time, "Luke, please can't I take the Torino and you the pickup tonight?"

Luke knew that he and Bo had repeated this conversation at least a hundred times since Jesse agreed to let him go to the prom. "Bo, ... Until I got this car I never had anything else to drive to dances either."

Bo rolled his eyes at his older cousin, "Luke what did you drive last year and the year before last to the proms and any other big dances you ever went to?"

Luke conceded the point, "I drove Robin's mom's car, but that wasn't my idea." With still several hours before Bo and Daisy would be leaving, Luke suggested after looking at the pick up, "But, I'll tell you something when I left here in that truck it was 'eat off of clean' inside and out."

Bo looked at the pickup that was used daily as a work truck. It went through creeks and over muddy fields. Bo had never remembered ever washing the pickup. Bo frowned at the sight of the truck. The dust from the red clay was all over it not to mention the thick red clay mud that was now dry still hanging on to various parts of the truck. He also knew that the inside of the truck was as bad if not worse. "Inside and out?"

Luke nodded, "Yelp."

Bo said, "I'll hose it down and throw a blanket across the seats."

Luke nodded, "Bo that'll work right up until Mary Kay gets in that truck and her dress drags that floor board. I promise you if you think tonight is starting off rough, you ain't seen a girl dressed up to try to out show all the other girls and get her dress dirty before she gets there."

"You're serious?" Bo asked again in disbelief.

Luke nodded, 'yes'. "Absolutely. Not to mention Daisy. You are dead if she gets dirty."

Bo groaned, "Will you at least help?"

"Get started on the inside and I'll be there to help with the outside in a bit." Luke offered.

Bo sighed as he headed to the pickup.

Luke reminded, "I never had that much help when I cleaned it up. You were usually off pouting because you couldn't go to." Luke laughed then said as an after thought, "So tonight you get to see just how much 'fun' it is to be old enough to go to those dances."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The Dukes gathered around the table for an early light supper with Daisy in curlers, Bo freshly showered, Luke just ready to get off the farm awhile and Jesse at the head of the table. There was more talk at the table than normal, mostly about the prom. Jesse reminded Bo and Daisy of what he expected from them before they left the table to finish getting ready. Then he turned to Luke, "You are sure about this."

Luke knew that Jesse meant not going to the prom. Luke finished his coffee and replied, "Yeah, I'm real sure."

Jesse nodded. "Alright, but you only get one chance at some things."

Luke read Jesse's hidden meaning and the fact that he was not just talking about the prom but Robin too. Luke sighed and replied, "And sometimes no matter how many chances you get, if never works out right."

Jesse had been young once and totally understood Luke's reply. "Well, I've felt that way a time or two myself, then your aunt Lavinia came along. After that I was kind of glad the others kept going."

Luke and Jesse were on the porch as Daisy and Bo came outside. After the customary pre-prom pictures Bo and Daisy headed to the pickup. Bo still wishing he were taking the Torino, but Luke insisted that he had plans to work on it at the garage. Bo was being the prefect gentleman even to Daisy as he opened the truck door and helped her inside.

Daisy said as she seen the inside of the truck, "Oh, Bo! The truck looks great! Thanks so much, Sugar, for cleaning it up so that Mary Kay and I won't get our dresses dirty."

Bo looked up grateful to Luke as he went to the driver's side of the truck.

Jesse asked as they watched the truck pull out, "What was that look of relief and horror that Bo just gave you all about?"

Luke explained, "He hadn't thought it was important to clean the truck up until I told him that his evening would be a nightmare if either Daisy or Mary Kay got their dresses dirty."

Jesse laughed, "Seems I remember havin' to tell you that once too."

"Yes. Yes Sir, you did, but at least you told the day before the dance." Luke grinned then added, "Well, I better get going. Luther will be expecting me."

Jesse cautioned, "You just mind your "P's and Q's" tonight too."

"Yes, Sir." Luke said as he walked to the Torino.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please review and let me know how I'm doing. Hopefully I'll update a lot sooner this week.


	14. Off to the Prom!

Chapter 14

NARRATOR: "Well folks, things seem to be off to a rip roarin' start over at the Hazzard High School. All the decorations were in place and had transformed the old gym into a fairy land of stars, clouds and moons. Daisy and her friends have gotten all the refreshments and souvenir bags ready to pass out. The band had already began to play even before guests started arriving."

The decoration lights were turned on and the regular gym lighting off as Daisy took her place at the front door along with Ms. Cline. Ms. Cline was checking tickets while Daisy would be giving out the souvenir bags. Daisy said, "Wow! I can't believe this is our gym!"

Ms. Cline replied, "I thought 'Moonlit Moment' would be a good theme, I just wasn't sure that we'd get everything together like in the picture." ****

Daisy replied, "Well, it surely looks like ya'll did a wonderful job."

Several couples had already arrived by the time the Bo got back with Mary Kay. A few minutes later Cooter and Beverly arrived and Daisy almost didn't recognize Cooter. She actually had to look twice at him and only really recognized him because of Beverly. She gave them their bag and said, "Ya'll look great! Have a good night."

When Daisy looked up at the next couple she nearly choked when she seen Robin, Luke's former girlfriend, with none other than the Ralph Green. It was all Daisy could do to get out the words, "Have a nice night." as she handed Robin her souvenir bag.

01~~~~~~~~~01

At the garage, Luther had finished up for the week. He turned to Luke, "Well, I'm out of here. I'm glad you could drive for Cooter tonight. It has been a long week."

"Not a problem. I'll likely bring in the Torino and tinker with it a bit if it's slow." Luke replied.

Luther laughed, "It is usually hit and miss on prom night. Rosco and the other officers will be out so that in itself can make for a busy night. I always just hope that all the prom goers get off the roads and stay off before they decide to do whatever it is they plan to do."

Luke nodded in agreement. He may not be going to the prom but had a lot of friends and family that would be there. "Tell Cooter I'll like just stay here until he gets awake and gets here. I just need to get home in time do my chores at home before Uncle Jesse gets excited about them."

"I understand that. I'll tell him." Luther said as he started to walk out the door. "You have your garage key, and here are the keys to the impound lot." He tossed a key ring with the keys on it. Taking a minute to think to himself, Luther added, "Tomorrow go over to Ruebottom's and get yourself a set of those keys made and put it on my bill." Holding his finger up in warning, "Just remember to NOT make any unofficial UN-impoundings."

Luke laughed at Luther's comment. He also understood the trust the man was placing in him. "You got it. Thanks."

Luther replied, "I figure with graduation and all that you may just be wanting to make an extra dollar or two this summer."

"That I would. Thanks again." Luke said. He and Luther shook on agreement, which bound Luke to his promise to the unspoken chance that his car could end up back in the impound yard and he'd not use his keys to remove it unofficially. After Luther left, Luke did bring the Torino into the garage and began preparing it to be able to redo the primer on the areas effected from trading paint with Ralph. The more Luke worked on the car the madder he got. The car had been ready to paint before the night of the race. Now it would take hours to get the car back the way it had been.

01~~~~~~~~01

The last dance of the prom ended and the gym lights came on with the band adding best wishes and cautioned everyone to use care as they left the school and to be safe.

Everyone was surprised to find at the parking area they were being directed toward the back road of the school toward a narrow winding road that circled the track and football fields. Leaving the lights of the parking lot everyone leaving the school saw why they had been directed that way. Additional stars and moons lite the path from the school to the main road. Traffic was moving slowly as the students and guests took time to enjoy the drive with some even going back to the school to drive back through the lights to get pictures. As Ralph got closer to the main road he saw the unmistakable blue flash from strobe lights. Though he nor Robin had been drinking, he did have a unopened bottle of Jack Daniels under his seat. Not wanting to repeat his stay at Rosco's Iron Bar Hotel, Ralph began to franticly search for the bottle under his seat. He failed to notice the car in front of him stop until the looked back up. Ralph had only two choices, the back of the car or the small grassy hillside to his right. He chose the grassy hillside and applied the brakes which proved of little used on the dew wet grass. Ralph gritted his teeth and actually closed his eyes as he felt the tires lock up and continue to slide over the hill. He couldn't bare to watch his beloved car get mangled. At the bottom of the twenty foot embankment the car finally came to rest unharmed. After getting his breath, Ralph first tired to back the car back up the hill that it had slide down, which didn't work. He managed to get turned around and tried to drive up the hill side, which again didn't work. He got out of the car and yelled up to the crowd that had gathered, "Can you guys help me push this thing out of here?"

Being that all the guys were dressed in their prom best, none were willing to get that dirty on what looked like a useless effort. Cooter and Beverly managed to get close enough to see the crowd gathered, "Stay here. I'll be right back." Cooter said. Once he got close enough to see the car in question and hear Ralph's pleas to bystanders, Cooter said, "That car ain't comin' out of there without a wrecker. Are you both alright?" He asked knowing that Robin had been with him at the prom.

For the first time, Ralph thought to ask Robin if she was alright.

Robin was feeling a mixture of emotions beginning with fear, anger, and more so embarrassment, but she wasn't hurt. "I'm fine. Just dandy."

Ralph advised Cooter, "We're both alright. Just need out of here."

Cooter knew Beverly didn't have a CB in her car which is what they had taken to the prom. He turned to Brodie, "Go tell who ever Rosco has down there on traffic that we need a wrecker up here."

"Will do." Brodie was off.

Ralph saw the guy in question leave before he could argue the point. He swore then remembered the reason for his looking away from the road, Ralph quickly reached under the seat and found the bottle of Jack Daniels. "Here. Put this in your purse or somewhere." Ralph had surely seen the evening turning out differently when he bought the Jack Daniels. He had hoped it would be just enough incentive to get what he'd been after since he first met Robin, which would be the ultimate revenge on Luke Duke after taking 'his girl'.

Robin tried to the bottle in her purse but she was carrying an unusually small bag tonight and couldn't it in there. She opted to put it in the seat and cover it with her dress.

Brodie and his date pulled up to the Deputy's car, "Hey, we got a guy over the hill back here. No one is hurt but Cooter said to tell you he'd need a wrecker."

The Deputy nodded and reached for the CB, "Hazzard Four to Hazzard Garage."

Luke was setting down in the floor working on the bottom of his car when he heard the CB come to life. Sighing he got up just as the Deputy made his second call for the garage. "Hazzard Garage, go ahead Hazzard Four."

"I need a wrecker out on the back side of the school near the football field." The Deputy said.

Luke sighed and replied, "I'll be right there." He had no idea why a car would be out in that area, but went out and after locking up the garage, got in the wrecker and headed off toward the school.

After making the CB call for the wrecker Deputy Petticord made his way way back to where the crowd was gathered and immediately seen why a wrecker was needed. He said to the guy beside the car, "Is that your car?"

Ralph replied, "Yeah."

"Were you driving?" Deputy Petticord asked.

Swearing to himself, Ralph replied, "Yeah."

"Come on up here and talk to me, while we wait for the wrecker." Deputy Petticord insisted.

Ralph swore with every step that he made closer to the Deputy, because for every step he took up the slick hill, he slide down three more. Ralph was still busy with the Deputy when Luke pulled up in the wrecker.

Luke saw the police cruiser, the crowd, but the car that he was called to tow wasn't obvious. It could have been any of those parked along side the road. Luke figured that maybe they had caught someone drinking and driving. He got out of the wrecker and walked over to the Deputy. Luke recognized the Deputy once he got closer to him in the darkness that was only lite up by the blue strobes of the police car and the yellow lights of the wrecker.

Before Luke could speak to Deputy Petticord, Cooter was at his side, "Easy Luke."

Luke frowned at Cooter wondering why Cooter was obviously trying to calm him down. "What?"

Cooter motioned to Ralph standing by the Deputy but then again so were several other guys.

Luke took Cooter's advice seeing Ralph there, but still hadn't made the connection. "Deputy Petticord where do you need the wrecker?" Luke asked.

Cooter was hoping to keep Luke on an even keel and said, "Over here, I'll show you."

Luke got back in the wrecker and followed Cooter to the edge of the hill still not seeing the car as he got out of the wrecker. "Ok Cooter who ride needs towing?" Luke asked.

"The one over the hill." Cooter said calmly.

Luke was on the wrong side of the wrecker to see the car, but took the trucks chocks down and scotted the wrecker. He released the cable and started over the hill with Cooter running the wrecker. Luke was about half way down the hill when he could make out the tail lights of the car in the darkness. Now things were adding up, Ralph with Deputy Petticord, Cooter wanting him to stay calm, and now the familiar tail lights. He couldn't help speed up his descent down the hill, going immediately to the passenger side of the car. "Are you alright?"

Robin knew the voice even before she looked up into the blue eyes, "Just get this car out of here."

"Not on my life with you in it." Luke said matter of factually.

"Yes, you will. I'm not walking up that muddy hill in these heels and my new dress." Robin said.

Luke opened the door, "Yes you are." Before she could reply he said, "Look the cable could break, the hook could slip, anything, ... Come on I'll get you up the hill."

Knowing that Luke knew what he was talking about and he was right, she gave a heavy sigh and put her feet out of the car. Only then did she remember the bottle of liquor in the seat. "Luke? The law is up there isn't it?"

Luke wasn't sure why that bothered her, but replied, "Yeah, why?"

"Can you take this?" Robin moved enough for him to see the pint bottle.

Luke frowned, "That isn't yours."

"No." Robin said.

"Truth. Was he drinking before he did this?" Luke asked as his temper was being to rise.

Robin said, "No. I didn't even know he had it until after this happened."

Luke tucked the pint in his inside jean jacket pocket, "Ok, now let's get you up this hill so I can get this thing out of here." Making their way to the back of the car Luke called to Cooter, "Can you secure a rope and toss it down?"

Cooter replied, "Yeah, hang on a second."

Luke grabbed the rope with his left hand and took a step up the hill, then dug the heels of his boots into the ground making sure he wouldn't slip. "Ok, take my hand and step just above my feet."

Robin did as Luke told her too while holding her dress up as she went. It was a slow process but they were near the top of the hill.

Luke stepped one foot to the flat of the roadway and pulled Robin up the last step of hill where she ended up almost in his arms. Their eyes met for a split second. Before either could say anything, Luke turned and started back over the hill mumbling in part, "... get the da- thing out of here." Luke hooked the cable up, signaled Cooter to get the slack out of the cable, went to the driver's side of the car and got behind the wheel giving Cooter a wave to start to pull the car up the hill.

Robin placed her hand on Cooter's hand on the controls of the wrecker, "What is he doing?"

Cooter replied, "Going to steer the car out of there."

"But, ..." Robin said just before she seen Ralph walking her way. She knew Luke was going to do just exactly what he wouldn't allow her to do.

Cooter worked the controls of the wrecker, Luke steered the car up the hill and together it was back on the road in drivable condition in minutes.

Ralph came over to Luke as he got out of the car.

As Luke stood up, he looked Ralph in the eye and said evenly, "Don't even think about it."

Deciding not to deal with Luke at all, Ralph turned to Cooter, "How much do I owe YOU?"

Cooter replied, "You owe Luke about a hundred dollars, CASH, which I'll give him for ya if you want or he tows the car."

"A hundred DOLLARS? Ain't that a bit steep?" Ralph asked.

Cooter gave him a grin, "Not as steep as that hill."

Deputy Petticord came over seeing the three young men in deep conversation. "Problem fellas?"

Luke was the first to answer which grated Ralph's nerves, "Not at all, just a bit of negotiations."

"There is nothing to negotiate. Son you pay the bill or Luke there tows the car." Deputy Petticord explained. "How much does he owe you, Luke."

"A hundred dollars cash." Luke confirmed Cooter's quote.

Ralph looked over at his car still attached to the wrecker, then reached for his wallet. One thing he was sure of was that in the while he had dated Robin 'she' was costing him more than any other girl he had dated.

Seeing Ralph reaching for the money Luke prepared to unhook the car. Cooter grinned widely as he took the hundred dollar bill. "Thank ya for your business."

Luke released the car and secured the cables on the wrecker. Cooter handed him the hundred dollar bill and reached behind the seat for a shop rag to wipe his hands on. Luke watched Ralph stomp off and had to grin. "Thanks for your help there Cooter."

"With all this traffic I wasn't going anywhere until it was out of there." Cooter said.

Luke nodded as he started to get back in the wrecker, "I'll be at the garage until you get there tomorrow. Just get me home for evening chores, huh?"

Cooter raised his eyebrows a couple of times, "That MIGHT be arranged."

"Well, if not just yell and let me know you're alive and I'll take the wrecker home to do them." Luke replied every bit as mischievously as Cooter had been. As Luke drove back to the garage, he couldn't help the mild sense of satisfaction in knowing that the evening Ralph obviously had planned had not happened. Then, Luke remembered something. He felt his jacket pocket and had to laugh. He still had the bottle of liquor that he was sure was supposed to be Robin's demise.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

***** This story is for entertainment purposes only. Characters and events are not meant to represent any person living or dead or true events. Events may be based in part on things that have happened to myself or people I know, but have been changed so much they are merely a shell of the actual events. Please read and review.


	15. The Mornin' After

Chapter 15

At the garage Luke worked on his car in between calls. Luckily there was no major calls and Luke got back from towing in a car driven by an Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents who worked under Agent Buchannon. It was still dark but the sky was beginning to lighten up, as Luke was getting out of the wrecker to open the garage door when Agent Buchannon pulled in behind Luke with the other agent in the passenger seat.

"Mornin' Luke." Agent Buchannon greeted.

"Agent Buchannon." Luke replied.

Agent Buchannon used his manners before getting down to business, "How's your Uncle Jesse? I ain't seen much of him lately."

Luke knew the ATF supervisor was just being friendly, but knew he was also fishing for any information that he could get. Luke replied, "You know Uncle Jesse, he's as feisty as ever."

The younger agent looked confused that his supervisor knew people so well in this part of the country.

His surprise didn't go unnoticed by Agent Buchannon nor Luke. Agent Buchannon decided to educate the young man a bit and through in a fresh worm to the young Duke. He spoke slowly letting his normal educated city dialet give way to his true Southern accent, "See Luke there's Uncle Jesse makes some of the finest shine I've ever had the pleasure of tastin', but I just can't seem to find any of his stills and never been able to catch him with a load. I'm figurin' it won't be long before you'll find yourself after Luke there with a full load of Jesse's finest. Ain't that right Luke?"

Luke looked Agent Buchannon in the eye as he replied evenly, "Agent Buchannon I don't have any idea what you are talking about."

"The he- you say. You've followed Jesse to the stills since you could walk." Agent Buchannon said. Deciding that Jesse had taught the young man how to play the 'game' and play it well, he changed the subject, "So what's the damage to this thing?" He tapped the junior agent's car hood.

Luke popped the hood of the car and said, "Well the belt is alright, so I figure the alternator is down on it. I'll have Cooter or Luther check it when they get here and give you a call."

The young agent was reluctant to leave his car here, but if that's where Agent Buchannon wanted it, who was he to object? But he decided, to say, "You can't just ..."

Luke cut him off, "Leave it outside? I hadn't planned on it. I'm gonna lock it up nice and safe right in that bay."

Agent Buchannon gave Luke a smile of appreciation for his professionalism, then looked at the younger agent and asked, "Anything else, son?"

Looking much like a scolded pup, the young agent replied as he headed to the car. "No."

Agent Buchannon said to Luke, "Give my best to everyone."

"I'll do it." Luke replied.

Once Agent Buchannon got in his car and pulled away from the garage, the young agent asked, "Who is 'everyone'? And, if you know them all so well ..."

Agent Buchannon began, "Everyone is Jesse Duke. He is the head of the Duke family and has likely made moonshine since before he could carry the sack of sugar to the stills. You met Luke and you seen he has been taught well by his Uncle. He has a cousin Bo a bit younger than Luke and then there is their cousin Daisy. Now those three may be younger than you but they have lived this life all their lives. You and me work eight maybe twelve hours a day and then go home and forget work. They all live this life put in more time thinking about how to out smart us than we work in a day."

"You said Luke would likely be driving soon?" The younger man asked.

Agent Buchannon smiled, "I pretty much know he's already driving some and possibly his cousin too, thats why I haven't seen Jesse much, plus I'm in the office more than I used to be. I think Luke should be graduating in this year's class. Now he may be driving the wrecker some, but there is more money to be made running the loads and in time Jesse will let him."

Luke did as he said he would, put the agent's car in the garage and closed up the garage doors, before heading up stairs of the garage to try to get a few hours sleep before Luther or Cooter got there.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

As the sun dawned on Hazzard County, the were many a tired teenager and several hung over ones.

At Beverly's house, she had just gotten in and was now creeping up the stairs to her room ever so quietly. She was sure that she hadn't taken a breath since Cooter turned up the driveway. When she reached the top of the stairs, Beverly was glad that she had left her bedroom door open. Once inside, she quickly closed the door and waited nearly a full minute before exhaling the breath she had been holding. Now, all she had to do was get out of her dress, into a gown and in bed before her mother got up and came to check on her.

Just a few minutes later, Cooter arrived at the farm. He managed to coast in close enough to the house to not look like he had coasted up the driveway. He got out of truck and went around the house to his open bedroom window. Cooter had no more than layed down when he heard his father shut the bathroom door. Cooter hoped to not be woken up anytime soon since Luke had agreed to drive the wrecker until he got there.

The Green home found very frustrated Ralph still awake. Not only had he had to pay out a hundred dollars to get his car back on the road, but he was now broke. His plans for finally making Robin 'his' hadn't happened, thanks to her ex-boyfriend. She had not only let Duke help her up the hill but had given him the bottle of liquor that was Ralph's 'ace in the hole' for getting what he had wanted. Ralph had been in a foul mood after having to pay that Duke for pulling his car out of the fix he had managed to get into, but once he found out about the liquor they had argued. Robin had insisted on going home early. Ralph had taken her home. He not only didn't get from her what he wanted, but couldn't even get drunk!

Robin had gotten home not just on time, but quite a bit earlier than her curfew. She had spent the night second guessing many of her choices in the past six months or so. She had known what she wanted since Luke Duke first asked her out. She knew who she should have went to the prom with. Luke surely had never put her over the hill in any vehicle! But when Luke failed to commit to her, she had went out with and went to the prom with the one person whom she knew would get under Luke's skin. She knew what Ralph had wanted from her last night and she knew why she didn't give it to him.

At the Duke farm, thanks to being grounded, Bo and Daisy were neither very tired or at all hung over as they came in for breakfast. After their normal greetings Uncle Jesse asked, "So how was the prom?"

"It was beautiful Uncle Jesse! I just hope when I get to go next year mine will look that good!" Daisy said full of joy.

Bo replied a bit calm, "It was alright. Just remind me NOT to get grounded and have to be home so early next year."

Jesse advised, "Well, if you learned your lesson this year, no one will have to remind you next year. Do you know if Luke was busy last night?"

Bo and Daisy both knew that Jesse had been tuned in and heard every call that Luke went on last night but Bo replied, "We heard about a car that had ran off the road and needed a wrecker behind the school." He took a drink of milk and replied, "Word has it that it was Ralph's car."

Jesse asked, "Anyone hurt?"

"Not that we heard. The car was even drivable." Daisy replied.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Luke was woke up by the sound of the bay doors sliding open. Being Sunday, the garage mainly offered only gas or a wrecker, unless it was an emergency repair made out front of the station. Glancing at the clock, Luke knew he'd only been asleep a couple of hours but grabbed his boots and headed down to the garage to find that Luther was the one openin' this morning. "Mornin' Luther."

"Luke." Luther said as he started a pot of coffee on the counter by the register. He threw a glance at the agents' car, "What's up with this one?"

"I'm pretty sure it is an alternator, but I told Agent Buchannon that you or Cooter would look at it. Needless to say they didn't want it left outside." Luke explained.

Luther nodded as he opened the register to begin his day.

Luke said, "I had a couple other calls. The tickets and the payments are in the drawer."

Luther was surprised to see a tow bill for a hundred dollars which was much higher than a normal bill. He looked at Luke.

Luke shrugged his shoulders and explained, "Cooter was on scene and set the price on that one, not me."

Luther nodded, "Was it that bad?"

"Drivers attitude was." Luke explained.

"That works for me."Luther said as he poured his coffee, "Coffee?"

Luke knew he'd much rather went back to bed, but said, "So where's Cooter this morning?"

"He got in mighty early, or late, this morning. I left him be." Luther said.

Luke asked, "So if we get something, am I still drivin'?"

Luther was pretty sure where this was going, "Go get the doughnuts, and I'll drive if we get anything. You can watch the register and the pumps until Cooter gets here."

Luke nodded his appreciation and headed off to get the doughnuts.

Luther knew that the boys usually dined on doughnuts and beer on Saturday mornings and he knew Luke had never drank and drove his wreckers. he figured if he was cuttin' Cooter a break this morning he may as well extend it to Luke. At least Luther himself hadn't had to drive last night.

Cooter managed to get to the garage by early afternoon to find the wrecker out on a call and Luke messing with his car. "Looks like you are about ready to shoot that thing."

"I've got it about where it was before Ralph tried to put me in the ditch." Luke replied as he took a drink of his beer that was setting on his hood.

Cooter eyed the beer.

Luke grinned, "Doughnuts are on the county."

"Well, alright!" Cooter replied.

"I take it that last night went well after you ended up helping me out?" Luke asked, though he didn't expect details.

Cooter gave him an award winning smile and replied, "You know that it did. I barely made it in before Dad got up."

Luke reached in the car as he asked, "So that means you'll be going out on graduation night?"

Cooter replied, "Already arranged."

Luke handed him the bottle of Jack Daniels, "Well, here's Ralph's contribution to a 'good time'."

Cooter gave Luke a questioning look.

"Remember when I helped Robin up the hill before towing the car?" Luke asked.

"Yelp." Cooter replied.

"She had been put in charge of that. If she left it in the car, ..." Luke was cut off.

"The law would have found it." Cooter finished.

"You got it." Luke replied.

Cooter added, "So she trusted you to get it out of there and keep him out of trouble?"

Luke grinned widely, "Yelp. Which I did."

"Well, alright!" Cooter said grabbing two beers from the refrigerator. "To graduation."

Luke grinned then suddenly remembered the court date the Monday after graduation. "Yeah, well I hope graduation is real good, since I have court the following Monday."

Cooter frowned, "Really? Oh man, that can't be good."

Luke glared and replied as he took a drink of his beer. "Thanks. I needed that!"

"Well, at least if Ralph also has to show, right?" Cooter replied.

Luke replied, "I have no idea when, but yes he will have to at some point."

Cooter laughed not thinking what he was saying, "I hope they get him good."

Luke gave him a look of disbelief then replied, "Cooter, ... if they get him 'good', where does that leave me? I have more charges than he does."

Cooter looked up, confusion showing for only a moment, "Oh."


	16. Off to Court

Sorry it took so long to post but had to think on this chapter and didn't want it really short. Thanks for all the reviews so far!

Chapter 16

The following week was 'normal' by Hazzard's end of the year normal. The graduates for the most part were thrilled to be done with school, but somehow found it hard to believe that school was really over. The thoughts of not seeing their friends every day or maybe not again combined with the thrill of being out of school made for a bittersweet feeling. Graduation day went off without a hitch, and there was a shared sense of pride in the gymnasium as the graduates tossed their caps in the air. The weekend following was enjoyed by all the graduates, friends and family. Jesse had lightened up a bit on the kids following Luke's graduation. So the boys had been able to spend the weekend camping out near one of their favorite fishing holes. On the bank near their camp site Sunday afternoon the boys lazed in the sun with just the right amount of summer breeze blowing to keep it from being hot.

Luke had a line in the water but he hadn't got a bite in over an hour. He was staring at the water's movement as he felt his eyes beginning to get heavy. Catching himself from falling asleep Luke pushed himself into a setting position seeing that Bo was indeed catching a nap. Luke tapped Bo's boot with his own and said with a sigh, "Bo we got to get packed up."

Bo mumbled, "Do we have to? I could stay right here."

"I'd prefer to stay here myself, but that was the deal, ... that we'd be home for supper." Luke said.

Bo heard everything that Luke said, but he also heard what Luke wasn't saying. "You're worried ain't ya?"

For a split second Luke didn't follow Bo's line of thinking and looked up confused. Then, he realized that Bo was reading him better than he'd been reading himself. At first Luke started to deny that Bo had hit the nail on the head then said with a loud sigh, "Yeah."

Bo found it hard to believe that Luke could go to jail. "You **really** don't think you go to jail do you?"

Luke looked at his younger cousin. His face reminded Luke of when Bo had asked him about Santa Claus years before. Luke hadn't been able to bring himself to break Bo's heart back then and had sent him to talk to Aunt Martha. Luke knew he didn't have that option now. He looked Bo in the eyes and replied, "Bo the possibility is there that I could go to jail for a year. I have to be prepared to hear that tomorrow, ... and so do you."

Bo shook his head and set up, "No, I won't believe that. Luke they were just telling you that to scare you."

On some level Luke wanted to believe much of what Bo said, but he figured it was safer to be prepared for the worse and hope for anything better. "Bo, ... I know things may not be that bad, but they could be. I read the paperwork that I got. Judge Hardcastle wasn't lying Bo."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Luke was in bed but he hadn't slept much, in fact it didn't seem as if he slept at all as he was looking out the window at the sky beginning to lighten up. As Luke heard Jesse knock on Daisy's bedroom door he set up on the bed and said even before Jesse opened the door, "I'm up, Uncle Jesse."

Monday morning dawned bright and clear with the birds chirping, rabbits hoping about, chickens scurrying around the farm yard as Bo and Luke went about their morning chores. Daisy was cooking breakfast as Jesse came inside. "Somethin' smells mighty good."

"Waffles." Daisy said.

"Waffles? On a Monday morning?" Jesse asked. This was a breakfast normally saved for Sunday mornings.

Daisy looked up to keep the tears that were filling her eyes from falling. She simply replied, "Luke's favorite."

Jesse knew that this morning was going to be hard on his entire family and more so if things went badly for Luke, but it appeared that it may be harder on the younger two than on Luke. Maybe that was because Luke at least seemed to be prepared for a bad outcome. Daisy had been trying not to think about what could happen and Bo flatly refused to think about the worst happening. Jesse had seen for years how Hardcastle had gotten the nickname of 'Hardcase'. Luke had heard enough to know that he Judge seldom if ever gave a sentence that was lesser than the maximum. Both Jesse and Luke had tried to convince Bo and Daisy in vainly, that today may very well not go well for Luke.

Bo and Luke came in from their chores, washed up and took their seats at the table. Luke smiled appreciatively at Daisy for her effort in fixing his normally favorite breakfast. He knew what she was trying to do. It wasn't working, but he appreciated the thought and told he so just as soon as Jesse finished the grace. "Thanks, Daisy."

As everyone finished up breakfast, Daisy began gathering up the dishes to be washed. She picked up the coffee pot to pour more coffee for Uncle Jesse. Jesse held his hand up to stop her as he looked at the clock, "Luke we best be going soon."

Luke nodded and quietly said, "Yeah."

Daisy quickly set the coffee pot down and turned around, "I'll be ready in just a minute."

"I'm ready now." Bo replied a little too quickly for Luke's liking.

Luke replied trying to lighten everyone's mood including his own, "In that big a hurry to get rid of me?"

Bo glared at his older cousin, "Luke! You know better than that on both accounts!"

Jesse cut Luke and Bo off. "Bo, Daisy..."

Luke finished Jesse's sentence as he stood up, "Look ya'll, I'm glad that you both want to go support me in this, but if not for Uncle Jesse, then for me, please, just stay here today. I really don't know how this is going to turn out, but however it does, I got myself in this mess. I'll have to live with the rest. It would make it easier on me if I wasn't worried about you two, too. ... Please?" Luke voice threatened to crack as he voiced his last word. His eyes held their gaze only a second before he turned and headed out the door.

Trusting that the younger ones would respect Luke's wishes in this, Jesse reached for his red cap and said hopefully, "We'll be back as soon as we can."

Daisy looked at her slightly older cousin as Jesse walked out the door behind Luke.

Bo was looking at her. Both knew the other had been determined to go to court with Luke.

Out front Luke was waiting on Jesse who asked him, "Taking the Torino or the pickup?"

Luke replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "Which one do you want to drive back?"

Jesse stepped toward the pickup and tossed the keys to Luke.

Luke caught them. He hadn't planned on driving but it may very well be the last time he got to drive for some time to come even if he did manage to come back home with Jesse. Luke got in and started the truck. He knew he was being 'silly' but he couldn't help taking a long look at the farm and house that had been his home since he could remember. The curtain in slight disarray didn't go unnoticed by Luke who knew Daisy and Bo were watching out the window. Luke took in a deep breath that he knew he'd be 'holding' at least in part until he walked out of the court room one way or the other.

As the truck made it's way to town, Jesse asked, "Want to talk about it?"

"I don't think there is really anything to talk about." Luke replied honestly.

"Well it may not change the out come today, but know that no matter what; I may not agree with your actions or decisions all the time, but that I will support you, ... always." Jesse said then added, "And so will those cousins of yours."

Luke gave Jesse a smile, "Uncle Jesse I've known that since I broke Rosco's Momma's front window passing that ball when I was ten. You supported me every Saturday afternoon for the entire summer while I cut the her grass to pay for that window while you and Mrs. Coltrane talked and drank iced tea."

"You learned where not to throw a ball didn't ya?" Jesse asked.

Luke grinned, "Yeah, I guess I did."

Jesse gave him a look and said, "Now if you can just learn to race cars on the track."

Luke frowned, "I just hope it don't take all summer to learn that."

"Or longer." Jesse added.

"Yeah." Luke replied as he parked the pickup outside the courthouse. He reached in his pocket and handed Jesse the keys to the Torino and his wallet. "Keep Bo out of it, but make sure ya start it occasionally. There is money in there from working the garage ..." Luke's voice trailed off leaving the rest of his sentence unspoken.

Jesse only nodded and said, "We best be goin' in 'fore we are late. It's never good to show up for court even on time, you always make sure you are a bit early."

Luke stepped out of the truck and got a surprise. Coming toward him was Cooter and Mark McCormick. Both were dressed up. As they walked up, Luke asked, "Hey fellas. What has you two all cleaned up this early?"

Cooter replied, "You do actually. We both told ya that we'd go to court with you and tell them you wasn't drinking before you raced."

Luke looked at Jesse who said, "It can't hurt."

"Thanks guys but I'm not sure how much good it will do." Luke said.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

At the Courtroom door Luke, Cooter and Mark stopped and took in the sight of high ceiling, dark oak trim against the white walls. The room it's self looked intimidating to all the young men, but was a bit overwhelming especially when you were the one who would be facing the toughest judge in at least three counties. As Jesse had planned they were a few minutes early as he made his way to the seats at the front table. He turned to see the three young men still at the door and motioned for them to join him. Luke took a deep breath and headed to the seat beside where Jesse was waiting. Cooter and Mark took seats behind Jesse and Luke.

"Luke..." Cooter started to say something to Luke in a normal tone but barely got out the first word when he heard how the room echoed. He suddenly changed his mind as Rosco came in a side door.

Rosco seen Cooter Davenport and Mack McCormick setting behind Luke and Jesse. They were obviously here for a purpose considering their dress, but Rosco couldn't help wonder what that purpose was. As Judge Hardcastle came in from his chambers Rosco said with a most official voice, "All rise for the Honorable Milton C. Hardcastle."

Everyone stood until the Judge had taken his place on the bench. He opened the file folder and looked over its contents before beginning. The court was called to order, Luke was sworn in and his charges read by Judge Hardcastle, "You have been charged with the following: Fighting, Racing and DUI. Do you understand these charges?"

Luke looked at Jesse for only a split second before answering, "Yes, Sir."

"Is there anything you wish to say before I ask you how you plea?" The Judge asked.

Again, Luke looked at Jesse before finding his voice, "Yes, Sir."

Hardcastle motioned for Luke to continue.

"First of all, Your Honor, I was not drinking and driving. There are a couple of people here that can tell you that." Luke said.

Judge Hardcastle recognized the one young man from the the local garage even though he was cleaned up more so than usual. He had seen the other young man around but wasn't familiar with him. Considering what the young Duke before him had said, the Judge decided to at least hear the young men out to see if Jesse's nephew was indeed telling the truth or if they had made this up between them to try to get their friend out of trouble. "I'll see you and your uncle in my office." Then he turned to the court reporter. "This will be all on record so you will need to join us."

Once in his office, Judge Hardcastle said, "Alright, tell me what happened that night. I will remind you that you are under oath."

Luke took a long breath before starting, "It is true, I was fighting with Ralph Green when the Sheriff arrived at the lake, but only because I was hit first. We had ran a race and the fight was over the outcome. I had been drinking some when Rosco got there. However, that is not how things happened. We raced the race where Ralph ended up stuck in a ditch. While watching him try to get out of the ditch and then helping to get him out of the ditch I did drink a couple beers. After the car was out of the ditch is when Rosco showed up to see us fighting."

Hardcastle had seen several off the track races in his time and he just might have participated in a couple when he was Luke's age, so he asked, "How did Mr. Green end up in the ditch?"

Luke looked him in the eyes and said, "My opinion. He was trying to stick me in the ditch and lost it."

With a bit of a mischievous grin, Hardcastle asked, "Did you win?"

Luke replied truthfully, "I did."

Hardcastle gave Jesse a 'look' and said, "Alright. That's all I needed from you." Then to Rosco, he said, "Send in one of the other young men."

Luke and Jesse returned to the court room as Cooter went to talk with the Judge. He was gone several minutes before Rosco came out and told Mark that the Judge would see him now. After many questions and re-worded questions of Luke's friends the Judge was pretty much satisfied that he had the truth from the boys. Alone in the office with Rosco while the court reporter was getting set up in the courtroom Hardcastle said, "Sheriff did you do any tests on Mr. Duke to see if he was intoxicated?"

Rosco stuttered, "Git, ... git, ... git, ... well, ... um, ... no. But ya see, ... ."

"I see exactly. Mr. Duke denies the charge. His friends told the same account. You didn't catch him driving, you didn't test him, you can't prove that he was driving impaired." Hardcastle said.

Rosco began with his normal gibberish. "He admitted to drinking and racing. I caught him in the middle of a fight."

Hardcastle said, "The only thing I see for you to do is to drop the DUI charge and we'll proceed with the other two charges."

Rosco wasn't happy about dropping even the one charge, but agreed. He'd just have to get them next time.

Jesse gave Luke a look that said they would soon find out the outcome of the discussions in the judge's chambers.

Luke was not convinced that even Cooter and Mark's being there was going to help him out any as he saw the stern look Judge Hardcastle had on his face when he took his seat on the bench. The proceedings were called back to order and the Judge began, "I have heard separate statements from Mr. Duke, Mr. Davenport and Mr. McCormick. I have also spoken to Sheriff Coltrane who has now agreed to drop the charge of Driving Under the Influence. Is this acceptable Mr. Duke?"

It was more than Luke expected as he found his voice and replied, "Yes, Sir it is."

The judge instructed the court reporter to show that the charge had been dropped. Then Judge Hardcastle asked, "As for the Racing and the Fighting, would you like to enter a plea? I caution you that your statements to the Sheriff on the night of the incident as well as your statements in chambers are a part of this record."

Luke winced. He may have had a couple of beers but remembered well that he had admitted to racing Ralph and knew that Rosco had seen their fight. Though he really didn't want to plead guilty to anything he felt that he had little choice in the matter. He also knew that if he lied under oath that he'd be in more trouble. Luke squared his shoulders and nodded, "Yes, Sir, I'd like to enter a plea." Finishing the thought to himself, "_And hope for the best. I've already got a bigger break than I expected._"

Judge Hardcastle asked, "How do you plea to the charge of Fighting?"

Luke knew he would have been crazy to say he hadn't been fighting. Rosco had pulled them a part. He responded looking fully at the judge, "Guilty."

Cooter and Mark looked at him like he had lost his mind. To their way of thinking you never admitted doing wrong to a Judge.

Judge Hardcastle then asked, "How do you plead to the charge of Racing?"

Luke knew that he could plead innocent since Rosco hadn't actually seen him but with his statements the Judge would likely add on the charge of Perjury. Being a chance that Luke didn't wish to take, after nearly a full minute, he replied as he looked Judge Hardcastle in the eyes, "Guilty as charged, Your Honor."

Judge Hardcastle made the notes in his file folder then said, "Court is adjourned for fifteen minutes."

01~~~~~~~~01

Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks.


	17. The Verdict

Chapter 17

Bo had been setting on the porch swing since just after Jesse and Luke left. He called himself setting there where he could see Jesse's pick up as it turned into the driveway, but he was actually still pouting because he didn't get to go.

Daisy had started washing clothes and had just hung the second load on the clothes line. Instead of going in the back door as usual, Daisy came around to the side of the big porch. She seen Bo still setting in the same spot. "Are you just going to set there all day"

"No." Bo answered, then after a long pause added, "Only until Luke gets back."

Daisy came over and took a seat in Jesse's rocker, "Bo you know that, ..."

Bo jumped up off the swing and started pacing the porch, "I know that I don't want to talk about it."

Daisy ignored his out burst.

"I'm sorry, Daisy. It's just they have been gone so long." Bo said.

"Maybe that is good?" Daisy tried to reason. "You know the old saying, 'No news is good news.' "

Bo looked inside at the clock as he came back to the swing, "It's almost eleven o'clock, Daisy. Luke had to be there at 9 am. What could take that long?"

Daisy shook her head, "I don't know, but setting here ain't gonna get them home any quicker or get any work done." She picked up the clothes basket and headed to the front door.

Bo sighed, "Daisy you have been spending way too much time with Luke." He got up from the swing and half heartily headed to the barn to try to find something that made him look busy.

**Heading to the barn, he picked up a pitchfork to pitch some hay to the cow. His nerves were driving him half mad, and he couldn't stand the thoughts of what Luke was going through. He thought it over, trying to figure out how they'd do without his cousin if he went to jail. Nobody could pull Luke's weight around the farm. He was an irreplaceable part of everything that went on. And Bo sure couldn't do without him.**

**"Bo!" he heard, Daisy's voice breaking into his thoughts. "Sugar, you've got to calm down. Look what ya did to poor Bessie!"**

**Bo looked down to see what Daisy was talking about, and sighed. "I'm sorry, Bessie," he said, to the Jersey cow who was now wearing a rather thick layer of hay.**

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse said to Luke and the boys, "Come on fellas let's walk out to the hall awhile."

Cooter was the first to speak in the hallway, "What do you think?" He had addressed the question to Luke and / or Jesse.

Jesse responded first, "Well, Cooter I just don't know. It is a good thing the other charge was dropped, but, ..."

"That just means he can hammer me on the other two charges." Luke said as he leaned against wide window seal in the hallway.

The group fell into silence. A silence that make Cooter more edgy than he was to begin with, "Say Luke did you hear about Rosco takin' a nose dive into Hazzard pond the other night?"

Luke hadn't heard and really wasn't interested at the moment. He answered, "No, I ain't."

Cooter began, "Well, ya see, it was like this, ... **Seems like some moonrunner had him a load, and Rosco knew it..." He kept his tone low, or at least as low as he could, trying to be careful about who knew how much he knew about moonshine running.**

**Luke tried to look interested in Cooter's story, but just couldn't focus on anything but the way he knew he'd feel after a few nights in jail.**

**"And Rosco was runnin' him a good race... You know Ol' Rosco's drivin' better these days..."**

**NARRATOR: Rosco? Drivin' better? Me and ol' Cooter must not know the same Rosco.**

**Cooter continued. "They was headed up around Hazzard Lake, and Rosco had the hammer down, and he said somebody came up from behind him and pushed him. Said he fought it, but they finally got him in the lake. Musta been rough, cuz the car looked bad..." he paused. "Rosco said he tried to shoot out the tires, but his gun wouldn't fire with it bein' wet like that."**

Mark shook his head, "It wasn't nothing like that." Pausing for effect. "Rosco happened up behind that runner out on Rt. 7. I **heard** he got too close and the driver hit the brakes. Rosco swerved and took a swim."

**Luke and Jesse looked at each other for a moment, both of them smiling just a little. **

**Cooter looked at them, then at Mark, but still felt like he was the only one left out of an inside joke. A few minutes later, it hit him, and a huge grin spread across his face. "Oh, I reckon I see what you mean." he said, trying not to laugh and draw undue attention.**

Luke shrugged his shoulders at Cooter and Mark, "I love hearing stories like that about old Rosco." Especially when they had just as much got Mark to confess that he was driving that moonrunner.

Even Jesse had to smirk at the young men, "Just remember, he is a good law man and besides all that, .. he does get lucky occassionally."

"Yeah, tell me about THAT!" Luke sighed, being a recent victim of Rosco's 'getting lucky'.

Before anyone could say anything else Rosco came out of the court room, "Two minutes."

Jesse looked at Mark and Cooter, "Let's go boys." Then he seen Luke as he had visibly tensed at Rosco's words. With Mark and Cooter now moving toward the courtroom Jesse **put his hand on Luke's shoulder. Luke was comforted by his Uncle's presence. **

**He looked up at the older man, and saw in his eyes a great deal of pain and worry. "It'll be all right, Uncle Jesse," he said. **Luke wasn't sure who he was trying to convience more, Jesse or himself.

With Jesse's hand still on his shoulder guiding him back into the courtroom, Luke again tried to prepare himself for the worst, to be sentenced to jail for a year or better. It seemed as if his shirt collar got tighter as he walked closer to his seat up front in the courtroom.

Judge Hardcastle took the bench and the court was called to order. "Lucas Duke you have plead guilty to Racing and Fighting. We shall proceed with your sentencing. Please stand."

Luke looked at Jesse as he found his feet to stand.

"Lucas Duke, you have plead guilty to Racing and Fighting. I am sentencing you in accordance with the laws of this County and our State. On the charge of Racing I am fining you $50 and your drivers license will be revoked 15 days."

Luke bit his tounge at the judges words. He knew that Rosco would make 'double da- sure' that he wasn't even driving a nail for those 15 days.

"On the charge of Fighting," Judge Hardcastle continued, "You are hereby sentenced to 10 days in the County jail. Your drivers license revocation will start the day that you are released from jail. Lucas Duke you are hereby ordered into the custody of the Hazzard County Sheriff to carry out your sentence."

There it was. It had been said. Luke still felt his breath caught somewhere between his throat and his lungs. He couldn't take in a deep breath at the words the judge had just said because he had to some extent been holding a deep breath that he had taken in preparation for this moment, yet he couldn't let out the breath he'd been holding in relief either. He felt for a long moment that no air was being exchanged by his body at all. In fact he felt like a 'fish out of water'. He looked over to see Jesse moving closer to him as was Cooter and Mark. All three appeared to be a bit surprised by the judge's words. In truth, Luke as well as the others were surprised, but it was hard to determine if they were surprised that Luke had indeed been sentenced to jail or the fact that the judge had deviated from his normal procedure of sentencing more toward the maximum end of the sentencing range. Rosco was also gleefully moving toward the younger Duke with cuffs already in his hand.

Judge Hardcastle tapped his gavel to get their attention, "One other thing, ... Mr. Duke as you know I have given you somewhat of a break. I understand that you and Mr. Green have a, ... shall we say 'history'. I suggest to you as I will to him that you two work out your differences. I may not be so understanding the next time around. Also, I'll remind you that once you are released your drivers license will be revoked for 15 days. Should you be caught driving during that time, you will go to jail from 30 days to up to six months."

Rosco looked as if someone had just been given his first Red Ryder wagon and BB gun, along with the biggest juicest steak a man could want all at one time. His eyes were dancing and his mouth watering.

Luke nodded to Judge Hardcastle as he struggled to get his voice to work. Finally he managed to get out, "Yes, Sir."

Rosco stated, "Put your hands in front of you."

"You don't need those Rosco." Luke said.

"Git, git, git, procedure." Rosco stated.

Luke knew exactly what he wanted to do with Rosco's procedures, but done as told. Once Rosco had placed the handcuffs on Luke's wrists in front of him, he instructed, as he handed Luke his copy of the sentencing order. "Alright let's go get your paperwork started, jit, jit, jit."

Once downstairs, Rosco locked the gate at the bottom of the stairs and directed Luke to take a seat at the booking desk. Rosco picked up the white booking card that he had set out in hopes of this. "Last name..."

For a split second Luke looked at Rosco like he had lost his mind, then he crossed his arms, well wrists, as best that he could while wearing the silver braclets and looked at the ceiling. Finally he said, "You have all this information. Can't you just use the paperwork from last time?"

"No." Rosco chuckled, "If you were booked in here three times in one day, we'd have to do new paperwork each time."

"Great." Luke said.

Rosco looked down and started to write, "Ok, Mr. Great, first name."

"You know my last name is Duke." Luke said.

"Ooh, ooh, so it is." Rosco said. "And your first name?"

Seeing that this could take all day, not that he really had anything else better to do, Luke replied, "Lucas."

Just as Rosco was stacking the bunch of papers together after finally finishing them Peggy Mitchell came down the stairs. She was the wife of a State Trooper and lived close to Hazzard County. Peggy was one of the few Tri-Counties correctional officers that didn't mind overtime and often helped Rosco out. She was carrying two styrofoam containers, directing her statement to the young man setting in front of Rosco, she said, "I hope you like chipped beef. It was today's 'special'."

Rosco added, "It's always the special. Git, git, git."

Luke gave a slight shrug of his shoulders and replied, "It'll do. Can't say that I'm all that hungry."

Peggy asked Rosco as she stood at the locked gate, "Are you done?"

"Just got to get Lucas here changed into a jumpsuit." Rosco said.

Luke couldn't stop the glare that he sent Rosco first for the use of his given name and secondly at the idea of the jumpsuit."

She knew that most of the time that Rosco's prisoners wore their own clothes so this took Peggy a bit by surprise. She tried not to look surprised as she replied, "Well, alright. I'll just be upstairs until you are done." She turned and headed back up the stairs to let Rosco finish with the young man that she had seen around town but hadn't had any dealings with before.

At the top of the stairs, Jesse, Cooter and Mark were waiting to talk to Rosco.

"Can I help you Mr. Duke?" Peggy asked.

Seeing the Tri-Counties uniform, Jesse said, "Well, you can tell me what that nephew of mine might have for the next ten days and when I could see him." He was trying to hold back his annoyance at Luke's situation.

"Nephew?" Peggy asked puzzled that any nephew of the kind older man would find himself in trouble with the law at least enough to be in jail for ten days. "The young man downstiars is your nephew?"

"I'm afraid so." Jesse replied.

Peggy nodded then said, "Well, as far as clothes, he can have underwear and socks. A couple magazines at a time would be alright." she looked at the two young men with Mr. Duke and cautioned, "As long as they are not pornographic."

Any one who knew Cooter and Mark would not have missed the mischievous look they had given each other turn to one of disappointment just before they tried to look innocent. Jesse nor Peggy missed it either.

Peggy made a mental note to keep an eye on those two if they came to visit before continueing, "As for visiting, I think it would be better if you held off until at least after dinner time. Rosco has another hearing in a few minutes and there is a possibility of another committment. That would give him time to get them processed."

Jesse nodded, "Thanks Peggy."

Cooter looked at Mark and said, "Another hearing? I wonder ..."

He never got the sentence finished as Ralph Green came through the double doors and turned into the courtroom.


	18. Let the Sentence Begin

Chapter 18

It was just after noon when Daisy stepped on the porch and called to Bo, "Lunch is ready."

'_Lunch_.' Bo thought. Now he knew something was wrong. There was no way Jesse and Luke would be late for lunch if Luke was out of court and surely they weren't still in court. Bo pushed himself to his feet and headed toward the old farmhouse. Bo had just hit the porch when he heard a familiar sound.

Daisy stopped dead in her tracks as she also heard Jesse's truck. She turned just in time to see Bo break into a run. He was heading to meet Jesse, and Luke, but the trouble with that was what Daisy hadn't wanted to think about. She could just now make out that Uncle Jesse was alone in the pickup. Daisy was now forced to think of the possibility that Luke may not be back home for a year. Before she could wrap her mind around that thought she saw Bo as he now realized that Luke was not in the truck.

**Bo stopped dead in his tracks for a split second when he realized Luke was not with Jesse. As Jesse came to a complete stop Bo was beside the truck demanding "How could you let them do it?" **

**Jesse **knew where Bo's mind had taken him. He now believed the worse had happened. Jesse tried to open his mouth to explain to Bo what was going on but Bo was too quick.

"Uncle Jesse YOU can't let them lock Luke up for a whole YEAR!" With that thought in mind Bo hauled off and punched the fender of the old truck much like Luke had punched Ralph. Trouble was the truck fender didn't give much under Bo's hand. As the pain shot up his closed fist through his wrist and into his arm all Bo could do at that point was cradle his now throbbing wrist and set down Indian style in the middle of the driveway.

Seeing this, Daisy ran off the porch toward Bo.

"Fool Kids!" Jesse exclaimed as he made his way around the truck hoping to check on Bo's wrist. "Let me see." Jesse said to Bo as he reached to support Bo's arm.

Bo protectively cradled the wrist tighter and managed to get, "Can't."

Firmly Jesse said, "Son, it's me or Doc."

Bo was still rocking back and forth from the pain, "Give it a second." As he bit his lip he was hoping the pain would lessen at least some. Looking over at his now squatting uncle with tears in his eyes he said again, "How could you let them lock Luke up?"

Jesse seen the pain in his younger nephews eyes both from the injury as well as from what he thought had happened to Luke. Jesse hoped to ease at least on of the fool kid's pains, "Firstly, it's not as bad as you are assuming. Remember, I always tell you two to never assume because it ends up making an 'A-' out of 'U' and 'Me'."

Bo said, "But Luke ain't with you. He's been saying he could go to jail for a year. If he ain't with you then, ..."

Jesse looked Bo in the eye and said, "Yes, he's in jail. But your mind was only letting yourself hear parts of what both Luke and I have been telling you."

Bo looked up with surprise and for the first time was able to listen to his uncle without jumping to conclusions or blocking out the parts he had been unwilling to listen to since this nightmare had began for Luke and himself.

Jesse explained, "Son, you missed one little but important phrase in what Luke and I have been trying to tell you." Jesse paused, "The phrase was 'up to' ..." Jesse put it all together for his hurting nephew, "As in 'Up to a year'."

Bo nodded, "But he's not with you, and is in jail,..."

Jesse nodded that Bo was correct in his thinking so far, then said, "For ten days."

Daisy immediately let out the breath she had been holding since she seen Luke wasn't with their uncle. "Oh, WOW!"

"Ten DAYS?" Bo questioned, "TEN DAYS?"

Daisy smiled, "Only ten days?"

Jesse confirmed, "Yes, ten days." Not that he was happy at having Luke gone for ten days, but in his and Daisy's mind ten days was surely better than a year.

"What?" Bo exclaimed, "Ten days and ya'll are happy about it?"

Jesse held up his hand to stop Daisy before she could respond, "Look, Son. No we aren't 'happy' about it and I'm sure that Luke ain't either, but it could have been far worse."

Still holding his painful wrist, Bo said, "Remember when Luke and me caught that raccoon and wanted to raise it because you had brought one home the summer before to nurse back to health?"

Jesse nodded 'yes'.

"Well, Uncle Jesse you said it wasn't right to keep a wild thing in a cage and you made us set it free." Bo paused. "Uncle Jesse you can't let them lock Luke up in a cage either." He added with a loud sniff.

"Bo, that baby coon wasn't hurt and didn't need nursing. It also hadn't done anything wrong. Luke on the other hand, ... went out of here and broke a several laws. I don't like it no more that you or Luke himself, but you three have got to learn that when ya'll was little I made you tow the line and if you didn't I punished you. Now, you three are becoming adults, if you break laws it won't only be me making sure that you are punished and learn a lesson from your actions but Rosco, his men, Judge Hardcastle and an entire host of others, who have been watching Luke since he turned eighteen, and I assure you that they will be watching you two a bit closer when you and Daisy turn eighteen." Jesse reached again for Bo's arm, "Now can I have a look?"

"You can, Uncle Jesse." Bo said through the pain, "But, I think we'll be making a trip back to town."

Jesse checked Bo's fingers, wrist and arm. He as well as Bo pretty much figured he had broken at least one bone in his right arm below his elbow. "Let's get going. Daisy just, ..."

"Oh, no. I'm going too." The young girl insisted.

Not having the heart to deny her, Jesse only nodded as he helped Bo into the pickup.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Dressed in only socks, underwear and a bright orange coverall type jumpsuit, with 'Hazzard County' and a 'P' all in large black letters on the back Luke stepped inside the open cell door and again before he knew what was happening Rosco had closed the door with a loud 'clang' followed by the unmistakable 'click' of the cell door locking behind him. The sound of the tumblers locking was unnerving to Luke. There it was again the shiver that ran from Luke's head to his toes and back again. He looked at the six by eight foot area. His half of the room he shared with Bo was bigger.

Rosco was jabbering and giggling about something as he opened the lower gate and headed up to turn over the jail to Peggy who had agreed to help him while he had 'prisoners'.

Luke hadn't heard anything Rosco said and was grateful, as he knew it would likely have only pissed him off far more than he was at the moment. He shoved his hands into the pockets of the coveralls and tried to convince himself that ten days was a far better outcome than a year. Luke still had a lump in his throat as he forced himself to think about ten days being forced to remain in this small room, maybe cage was a better word to describe the cement floor and ceiling, the cinder block outer two walls with only a small window that contained steel bars with steel bars 3/4 inch thick bars between the two cells and on the front of the doored front of the cell. The only 'open' space was a three inch by ten inch slot with a small shelf in the cell door that let food trays and other items in the cell or allowed the person in the cell to have handcuffs applied before the door was opened. Luke took full advantage in the fact that he was alone in downstairs to take a deep breath and finally let it all the way out in relief of the out come. He knew that by no means was his situation 'good' but also that he could be in far deeper than he was now. Being that he was alone, he couldn't help just once checking the barred door to see if it was indeed locked. Luke gave it a firm shake and found that it was far better built than most things here in Hazzard. He half wonder what he would have done had the door gave at his push.

It was June and the summer heat was making it's self known all over Hazzard and the South, but standing here in socked feet, the coolness of the cement and steel sank in and sent chills through out Luke's red blooded body. Then the thoughts began forming in his mind: He was a red blooded southern young man. He had been 'active' for the better part of two years. The last time he and Robin had done anything but argue was Easter break, since then he had managed to be with a couple 'easy targets'. Last weekend was graduation, before that was prom and he had driven the wrecker for Cooter, the weekend before that was when he'd been arrested. Luke could easily figure that he'd already been two weeks without any affection and was sure to have to wait at least another ten days. Twenty four days! That was the longest that he would have been 'without' since he had became 'active'. Luke felt his underwear begin to feel overly tight already and the door behind him hadn't been locked a full half hour yet! Luke sighed. He knew this sort of thinking was only making matters worse.

Luke walked to the small barred window and tried to clear his head. Thinking back to the race that had started this chain of events; _maybe racing Ralph hadn't been such a good idea._ Luke had known before they ever lined up that he could beat Ralph, it had been nothing more than foolish pride that had caused him accept Ralph's challenge and again to engage in the fight after Ralph had called him a cheat, but those were fighting words. Luke looked around at the mess his foolish pride had gotten him into. He was not near as pleased with himself as he had been when he beat Ralph in the race. Luke watched as Peggy came through the downstairs gate, relocked it, picked up a second set of keys that were hanging on the wall, and took a seat a the desk to go over Rosco's paperwork.

The keys had been unnoticed by Luke until Peggy put them in her pocket. He was really not sure what he would have done had he seen them sooner. They had been so close and so far away hanging on the peg on the wall at the other side of the cell beside him. Luke shook his head at how amazing how far away six feet could be.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Upstairs Rosco was in his glory as Judge Hardcastle found Ralph Green guilty of his charges and sentenced him to the same ten days.

The Judge figure that the two might just work out their differences if they were 'forced' to spend some time together. If so, maybe a repeat visit could be avoided. He looked at the second young man before him today and said, "Mr. Green I hope that you understand that the sentencing was far less than it could have been. I sincerely hope that you and Mr. Duke can work out your differences, because as I told him, I may not be so understanding the next time that I see you two. For the record, once you are released your drivers license will be revoked for 15 days. Should you be caught driving during that time, you will go to jail from 30 days to up to six months. Ralph Green, you are hereby ordered into the custody of the Hazzard County Sheriff to complete out your sentence."

Ralph could think of a hundred smart remarks but the Judge cut him off.

"Sheriff, I understand you only have three cells. A holding cell upstairs and the two downstairs. I suggest that you keep open your holding cell and use the two more secure cells downstairs." Judge Hardcastle suggested, then added before Rosco could say anything, "If either of these boys give you or Peggy any trouble, **any at all**, you call me. I'll make a special trip to get to the bottom of it. I'll also be by from time to time in the next couple days to check on these two's rehabilitation."

Ralph couldn't believe it, they were going to put both him and Luke downstairs. Even though he hadn't seen the downstairs before he couldn't believe his luck. Looked like things could be a bit interesting after all.

NARRATOR: A bit interesting? I'm not sure about you all but I don't think I want to go to the refrigerator now!

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Thanks for reading and reviewing! Also, thanks to Bethie88 and BL Davenport who have added a few lines along the way and let me bounce ideas off them. Also, here is a note about Peggy that should have went with last chapter. Hope you all are enjoying. Let me know with your reviews. Hope to post again sooner if 'life' slows down a bit.

**NOTE: (Being an Ex-Correctional Officer by trade I had to 'improve' Rosco's 'cuff & stuff' routine a little. Also, the correctional officer here may talk more freely than I ever would, as Hazzard is a small town, where everyone knows everyone. I took the liberty of making the following change...) When there was going to be a commitment in the county jail for longer than just over night, they would call to the Tri-County Jail for a 'Jailor' to meet them at the Courthouse. Being only one man, Rosco could not leave a 'prisoner' alone and patrol too. **


	19. Settlin' in

Chapter 19

Jesse was glad to see Doc just returning from his daily trip to local diner for lunch followed by his normal trip to the Post Office.

Doc turned as he seen Jesse park his truck. "Afternoon Jesse. Is there something I can do for you?"

Jesse set the park brake and replied, "I'm afraid so. Seems Bo had a run in with the side of the truck."

Doc wasn't sure what Jesse meant but figured he'd get the long version soon enough. "Well, Bo let's get you in here."

Bo was still cradling his right arm as Jesse went around the truck to open the door while Daisy jumped out on Jesse's side.

Doc could see the swelling and bruising even before Bo got into the office. "Just exactly how did you manage to do that? It looks like you punched someone, but it's not even the weekend yet."

Bo dropped his eyes before replying, "No, Sir it ain't. I did punch the truck though."

"Now what on Earth could that pick up of Jesse's do to you to make you that mad?" Doc continued as he began getting his equipment ready to check out the young Duke.

Bo felt even more embarrassed than he had been as he replied, "It didn't do anything to me Doc. I was just jumping to the wrong conclusion."

Several minutes later Doc said, "Well, it looks like you jumping to conclusions is gonna be keepin' that arm out of action for the next six weeks."

"Six WEEKS?" Bo questioned. "But I gotta work on the farm, and... and there's a big race in a couple weeks that I was gonna drive in, and... Awww, shoot." With that, he started to move his arm, and couldn't stop the whimper that escaped him as the pain hit him again.

Doc put the X-Ray up where Bo and Jesse could see the clean break in Bo's wrist. Then he began getting out the supplys to cast the arm up to the elbow.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Luke took a seat on the hard bunk with only the paper thin mattress covering the steel. He only now noticed the food container that Peggy had placed in the door of the cell. Luke was by no means really hungry right about then but had always been taught not to waste food. He reached for the container and began picking at the chipped beef, bread and fried potatoes. Just as Luke had set the empty container back in the bars and had set back on the bunk he heard Rosco at the top of the stairs, ...

"Alright, You. Just move on down them stairs and don't try anything fun!" Rosco was instructing.

Luke wasn't the only one that heard Rosco coming down the stairs. Peggy got up and unlocked the gate to let the two men pass, then relocked the gate.

Luke wasn't exactly sure what he was feeling right about then as he watched a handcuffed Ralph be taken over the desk to evidently be booked in the same manner that he had been a short while ago. He wasn't sure why Rosco would bring him down here to do the booking when he had done so upstairs before. Luke had to admit that he enjoyed the fact that Ralph would also be paying the 'Piper'. From where Luke sat, the handcuffed Ralph didn't look as if he was near as 'froggy' as he had been the night he leapt at Luke.

Neither Peggy or Rosco missed the look that passed between the two rivalries.

After Ralph was booked, searched and had changed into an orange jumpsuit like the one that Luke was wearing, Rosco instructed, "Alright that should be it. This way to your home away from home. Git, git, git. Ain't that right Luke? See how comfy Luke looks there."

Right then if looks could kill, Peggy was certain Luke would have killed Rosco. She was certain that part of the reason for the look from the Duke boys was due to the housing arrangements more so than Rosco's comments.

Rosco locked the cell door behind Ralph Green which was right beside Luke's cell. In fact it was only separated by a set of bars. Rosco began, "Now boys the judge has made it clear that, ..."

A commanding voice behind Rosco interupted, "I'll explain myself what the Sheriff is trying to say, if he'd be so kind as to let me through this gate."

"Judge, Judge Hardcastle." Rosco studdered in total surprise.

Peggy moved to open the gate for the judge.

Luke stood up and moved to the bars to see why the Judge was there.

"Yes, Sheriff it is me." Judge Hardcastle said. "Now boys, as I told you both upstairs, I was very understanding when I sentenced you two. I have also suggested that you two use this time to work out your differences. I have seen you two go at each other since high school football and it hasn't gotten any better. Rosco and Peggy have been instructed to call me any time day or night if either or both of you give them any trouble at all. Is it clear that you two will be housed beside each other and I will not tolerate any trouble or disturbances?"

Luke didn't like it, but he knew he was against the man that held all the 'aces' in this particular 'hand of cards'. He also knew the game wasn't nearly over. There would be another time another day. He replied, "Yes, Sir."

Ralph rolled his eyes toward Luke wondering if Luke could actually be serious or just sucking up to the Judge.

Judge Hardcastle was now looking right at Ralph.

Ralph turned his gaze from Luke to the Judge as he had felt the look even before he seen the man looking at him, "What?"

Judge Hardcastle replied, "I'm waiting for your answer. Did I make myself clear?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, clear. Got ya." Ralph said with little respect for the man or his position.

Hardcastle gave the young man a hard stare as he said, "I hope for your sake that you 'got me'." He turned and gave Rosco and Peggy two business cards. Here are the numbers I can be reached at most any time. If I'm not at any of these there is an old fallen Oak tree about a mile above the old mill. Sheriff you'll likely find me there. I hear the trout have been biting good up there."

"Git, git, git! Ohh, Ohh, Ohh! I know that place. There sure are some mighty big trout up there for sure." Rosco agreed.

"Good." Hardcastle said, then added as he watched Peggy open the gate, "Have a good day all. I hear those fish calling me now."

The Judge headed out in pursuit of the big trout and Rosco to find himself some lunch before going on patrol.

Peggy locked the gate behind them.

Luke set side ways on the bunk with his feet propped on the edge. He was thinking about how this was NOT going to be a good day and about how he would much rather be on a cool creek bank than in the hot cell as the heat of the day was making the temperature rise.

Peggy settled in for the long haul waiting to be relieved only to go home for a few hours, pull her shift at Tri Counties and return here.

Ralph stole a glance at Luke and said, "Ya know the Sheriff was right, you do look right at home there."

Luke glared at Ralph, thinking of at least a hundred things to say to him, but Luke saw Peggy watching him, waiting for the two to get into it. She was more than willing to call the judge. Luke thought about it, counted ten, then recounted to ten again before saying, "I might deserve to be here, ... this time, ... but something tells me that you'll be behind bars a lot more than I will ever be."

The Judge headed out in pursuit of the big trout and Rosco to find himself some lunch before going on patrol.

Peggy picked this exact moment to bring over the second lunch tray to Ralph.

Ralph looked at the container that had been waiting on him and said, "So you knew I'd be here?"

Peggy shrugged her shoulders, "It was a pretty safe bet on my part. I got a call last week to be here at noon. The County doesn't call me for overtime unless they are pretty sure they'll need me. Besides they told me the Judge had two hearings today."

Ralph took one quick look at the Hazzard special and closed the lid of the container. He was trying to get himself together. Sentenced to ten days in the Hazzard County jail hadn't set well with him and the fact that Luke Duke was only feet away wasn't helping. Ralph was sure he could work this to his advantage, but it would take some thought. Then he remembered that he was supposed to meet Robin later. He had been convienced he'd have a large fine to pay but that he'd be able to meet her. She had wanted to take a drive to check out the lay out of a couple colleges near Hazzard. Ralph had been hoping to get her out of town and have sudden car trouble. He swore to himself, then asked, "Can I at least make a call?"

Peggy nodded and replied as she brought the desk phone over, "I can do that, ..." then she cautioned, "But, calls are limited to once a day, five minutes. So make it count." She then added, "You can have underwear, socks and a couple magazines at a time as long as they are not pornographic. Visitation is thirty minutes a day and afternoon or early evening is better."

Ralph was not happy. "You are kidding?"

"This is not the Holiday Inn, Mr. Green." Peggy said as she handed the receiver end through the bars and set the phone on the floor.

Luke was a bit surprised at some of the rules, but kept his reactions to himself. Well, at least he hoped that he did. _'This was not going to be a good week and a half with Ralph right there.' _Luke thought.

Ralph had the operator connect him to Robin's.

Robin answered on the second ring so as to not look too eager, "Hello." She had showered, dressed, done her make up and was just putting the finishing touches on her hair.

"Robin," Ralph began as he gave Luke look of confidence.

"Oh, good! I'm glad you are done in town." Robin said. Ralph had told her he had business in town but shouldn't take long. "I'll be ready by the time you get here. I've got a couple places to check out and a real nice place picked out to eat..."

Ralph turned his back to Luke and kept his voice low, knowing that Luke could likely hear his end of the conversation, "Maybe we can do that next Friday. I've ran into a snag."

"Snag?" Robin repeated. It usually meant that a guy had better things to do when they said that.

"Yeah, come to town and I'll explain." Ralph said.

"Where should I meet you? The diner? Ruebottoms? The square?" Robin asked eagerly.

Taking a deep breath, Ralph knew he couldn't get around the truth any longer, "The jail. Seems you Ex has some connections with the Judge."

Setting on his bunk, Luke could indeed hear most parts of Ralph's conversation with Robin. Luke was glad that he had never had to make that call to her. He knew her well enough that she'd not set foot here, but that Ralph would likely try to get her to. Luke thought, _'This might just be a bit of entertainment after all.' _

"Ex? Connections with what Judge? What are you talking about?" Robin asked, blindsided by all this. Ralph had down played the situation with Luke and told her he'd just pay a fine. "Tell me this isn't about Luke. Ralph ya'll aren't into it again are you?"

"No, we're not, but yes it's about Duke. Just get down here." Ralph said in a low tone hoping that Luke didn't hear. His tone made his wishes more than a request.

"You're in jail? Over the race? How long?" Robin asked.

Ralph gritted his teeth as he replied, "Yeah, that's right. Until next Wednesday, but since you are all dolled up I'd love to see you right now."

Robin looked at the phone like it was an alien. "Surely you don't think that I would come down to the _**jail**_ do you?"

"Sure. Why not?" Ralph said.

Robin looked at the phone like he had lost his mind, "Because that is just not somewhere I can go, Mom would have a cow and you don't even want to know what Daddy would do."

Ralph wasn't happy in fact he was getting pretty mad. "Look are you my girlfriend or their daughter?"

Before Robin could answer she heard a female voice say, "Times about up."

"Who was that?" Robin asked having no idea about how or who ran the jail.

Ralph nodded to Peggy, but replied to Robin, "That was the officer, guard, whatever. Just get here, OK?"

"There are women that work THERE?" Robin asked in disbelief.

Luke was enjoying Ralph's distress and shot Peggy a bit of a grin.

Peggy picked up the phone from the floor, "That's it."

Ralph wasn't done trying to convience Robin to come see him and said, "Yes. See so you can come."

Just before the phone went dead, Robin replied, "No, I can't."

Ralph looked at the phone, not believing that she had refused to come see him and the fact that Peggy had hung up the line. As he handed the now dead phone over to Peggy he uttered the words, "You -tch."

Peggy glared at him, "I certainly hope that wasn't directed at me."

The look on her face made Ralph reply, "Uh, ... no, ... not at all." Though he wasn't sure in his own mind if he had directed it more at her or Robin.

Luke had a grin on his face that equaled the one of the cat that just ate the family canary. He could almost taste the feathers, but said nothing.

Ralph turned around and sat on his bunk that faced Luke, "What? What is so funny to you?"

"For starters just the fact that you considered that Robin would come here to see YOU." Luke said.

"Well, she sure as he- won't be coming to see you." Ralph tossed back.

Luke shrugged, "No, she won't, because she won't come here. It is 'beneath her'."

Ralph looked confused, "What are you talking about?"

"It's simple. She comes from a 'good' family." Luke saw Ralph about to jump in and held his hand up, "They don't get in bar room brawls, fist fights, run moonshine, or nothing like that. They ain't never had a reason to be here and likely none of them will, well, maybe her younger brother."

"Far too good for you then." Ralph stated.

Luke surprised the man when he replied in truth, "Absolutely. I've told her that on many occassions."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The Dukes came out of Doc's office. Jesse checked his pocket watch for the time. It was mid afternoon and next to none of the the chores had been done at the farm. He saw the wishful look on Daisy's face and that Bo's chin was nearly dragging the ground. Bo's right arm was casted to his elbow. In fact due to where the break was Doc had went to just above Bo's elbow and had put his whole arm in a sling until the plaster could completely dry. Even if Bo had thought that he might have been able to change gears before he knew it would be next to impossible now. Jesse asked, "Would ya'll like to go see Luke now, so when we get home we can get some work done?"

Daisy beamed, "Yes, Uncle Jesse. Could we?"

Bo to go see Luke in the worst way, but now he knew he'd be explaining his arm to him. May as well be now as later he concluded. "Yeah, sure Uncle Jesse. I just don't know how much help I'm gonna be in this thing."

"Well you're not gonna be doing much of nothing today anyway." Jesse replied as they headed to the Courthouse.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Luke's reply to Ralph had taken him so much by surprise that he couldn't reply to it.

Peggy heard footsteps on the stairs leading downstairs to the jail and went to the gate to see Jesse Duke coming down the stairs.

"Can we see Luke?" Jesse asked. He had instructed Daisy and Bo to wait until he checked with Peggy before coming down.

Peggy nodded, "Sure thing, Mr. Duke." She unlocked the gate.

Jesse motioned for Daisy and Bo to come on down.

Daisy was carrying the package they had gotten on their way from Ruebottom's.

Jesse took the package and gave it to Peggy. "I believe these are the things you said Luke could have."

"I'll check them out while you visit. You'll have thirty minutes." Peggy replied.

Jesse nodded as he checked his watch while Peggy locked the gate behind them.

As soon as Luke saw Bo's arm he was on his feet and as close to the bars as he could get, "Bo? What happened?"

Bo dropped his eyes to the floor, but didn't answer right away.

Luke looked at Jesse, "Is he alright?"

Jesse nodded 'yes' and said to Bo, "Bo, Luke is talking to you."

"Alright, when I seen you weren't in the pick up, I sorta jumped to the wrong conclusion and thought you wouldn't be home for a year." Bo said while still looking at the floor.

Luke sighed and for a brief time forgot all about Ralph being beside him, "Bo, look at me."

For the first time Bo looked at Luke standing behind the bars of the cell, dressed in all orange. He didn't know why but he had expected to see Luke in his own clothes. The sight of Luke in that cell was not the image of his 'Superman' cousin. In fact it looked like he had been exposed to way too much krytonite. Bo couldn't stop the tears that formed in his eyes that he was fighting to keep from falling down his face.

Luke began, "Bo I tried to tell you this was possible. You just wouldn't listen. It's not as bad as it could have been anyway. So what did you do to your arm?" Luke asked only being able to see the sling that held Bo's arm where Doc had wanted it.

Bo point to his bad arm, "Doc said I broke it about here."

"Dang it Bo! How did you manage to do that?" Luke asked.

Bo had managed to get his tears back in control but now looked at Luke sheepishly, "I took a swing at the pickup."

"So how long do you have to wear that thing?" Luke asked.

"This one for a couple weeks, then Doc said he'd make it shorter." Bo added, "I'm not gonna be able to drive in the Tri County race like we planned." It would have been the first big race that Bo would have been driving in.

Luke nodded, "I'll be home by then and there are more races this summer."

Daisy had been standing back to Jesse's side. Not taking the time to change before they brought Bo to see Doc, she was still dressed in her 'house clothes' that she was doing her chores in. Her shorts were shorter than she normally wore to town. The haulter top was last years and Daisy had been growing since last year. Daisy almost never felt uncomfortable around the boys or their friends but she felt that way now but wasn't sure why. She told Luke, "We brought ya somethings from Ruebottom's."

Luke looked at his 'baby' cousin who was never as shy as she was now. He hoped it wasn't because of his situation. "Thanks Daisy. Come here I won't bite."

Daisy moved closer to the bars. This was not her image of her 'Prince Charming' but it was Luke. She took his out reached hand and held on to it like it was a life line. As she looked up at Luke she got a glance at the man beside him. He was looking at her and the way he looked at her made her feel as if he was undressing her with his eyes.

Luke was watching Daisy and missed Ralph's eyes glaring at her. He was trying to think of something he could do to cheer her up. Grasping at the wind he said, "Come now Sugar, I'll be home in a few days. Tell you what we'll pick a night and we'll go skating just the two of us." It was something Daisy liked to do, but Luke didn't let her go with him and Robin often. In fact he never went skating unless it was Robin's idea.

Daisy perked up a bit, "Really? We will just us?"

Luke knew Bo wasn't a big fan of skating and now with his arm in a cast Bo wouldn't mind not going. "Sure we will."

Jesse watched as Luke struggled to make this situation better for his younger cousins. It reminded him of how Luke used to scoop Daisy up and make her skinned knees better. Jesse was so interested that he also missed the stares that Ralph was giving Daisy.

Daisy may not have seen Ralph staring at her but she sure felt them.

As Jesse watched Daisy and Luke, he could see she was very uncomfortable. He looked up in time to see Ralph look away. For the first time he noticed Daisy's outfit. He turned to Peggy, "Can the kids go out? I'd like to speak to Luke."

Peggy replied, "Sure whenever they are ready."

Luke thought that it was strange that Jesse wouldn't talk in front of Bo and Daisy but figured he'd find out why in a few minutes. "Ok Sugar, Peggy is waiting. I'll see you next time."

Daisy nodded and struggled to find her voice, "I picked out the word search for you. I hope you like it."

Luke assured her, "I will."

"I picked out the Mopar magazine. It's got this big section on the hemi. Figured to let you read it then you can tell me about it." Bo said. He knew he'd never set down long enough to read the whole article.

After Bo and Daisy went upstairs, Luke asked Jesse, "So what was that about?"

Jesse replied, "I just thought they had been here long enough. As they said we got you somethings on the way over and they each picked you out a book."

"Thanks, Uncle Jesse. Ya'll didn't have to do that. So how long is Bo out of commission?"

"Doc said about six weeks total then a couple weeks of light stuff." Jesse said. He looked over at Ralph who had now taken a seat on the back of the bunk. Jesse knew better than to draw Luke's attention to what had happened. He and Luke talked a bit more before Peggy told him that time was up. Jesse said, "I expect well be by sometime tomorrow."

Luke nodded, "Alright. Ya'll be careful." He watched as Peggy let Jesse out the gate and he made his way up the stairs. Luke let out a sighed and set back on the bottom of the bunk.

Ralph waited until Peggy was busy before he said, "Sure was a sweet thing that came to see you earlier." Ralph had seen Daisy around, but being from Placid County didn't know her or her relationship to Luke.

"She's my younger cousin." Luke said with a bit of an edge to his voice.

Ralph smurked, "She sure is hung up on you Duke. You sure you ain't closer than cousins? With ya'll going out alone and all."

Luke was on his feet and at the bars, "You'll eat those words!"

Ralph continued while setting on the bunk where Luke could not get at him, " I can see why you let Robin get away with a sweet thang like that at home."

"Firstly, Daisy is my cousin and a kid at that! Secondly, you are just mad cause you can't get no where with Robin." Luke stated the later as a known fact and truth did hurt.

Now Ralph was on his feet but keeping his distance, "What makes you think that?"

"I don't think it. I know it." Luke glared.

Peggy had about heard enough, "Look, both of you. Cool it. Ain't neither one of you need to worry about a girl fro the next ten days. So this ends now or I call the Judge." She paused to let that sink in before adding, "Besides standing behind those bars dressed in all orange, neither one of you look real intimidating."


	20. Doing Time

Chapter 20

Cooter looked up to see the Dukes coming out of the Courthouse. He spotted the sling on Bo's arm as he motioned the Dukes toward him as he headed their way, "What on Earth happened to you?"

Bo frowned and dropped his head.

Jesse shrugged and coxed Bo, "Bo..."

Bo sighed, "I thought that Luke, ... " He couldn't even bring himself to say the rest.

"He was lucky for sure with the way the Judge normally does things." Cooter finished.

"Yeah, wished I was as lucky. He got ten days, I got six weeks." Bo pouted.

Cooter replied, "Well, if it makes ya feel better I'd say ol' Luke there would trade ya places if he could."

Jesse nodded in agreement with Cooter and said, "We best be headin' out, next to nothing has been done at the farm today."

Cooter volunteered, "I'll be done here around five and can drop by to help. With Luke not home and Bo not a hundred percent maybe I can help."

Jesse replied, "I obliged, but don't go out of your way."

"It's no trouble at all." Cooter replied. "I'll see ya'll then."

Daisy replied, "And I'll fix us up a mess of fried chicken."

"It's a deal for sure now!" Cooter said.

01~~~~~~~~~~ 01

Back at the farm, Bo tried to do what he could but with only his left arm there wasn't a lot he could do.

Jesse indeed missed Luke with Bo being basically out of commission.

Daisy made herself busy fixing a big dinner in thanks to Cooter for coming to help out.

Bo felt about useless as even simple tasks were not at all simple without both hands and arms.

Between Jesse and Cooter all the mandatory chores were out of the way as they set down for a good home cooked meal. As grace was said by Jesse and Luke remembered in them everyone appetite suddenly left as each wondered what Luke would be eating tonight. All were sure that it was nothing that could compare to Daisy's fried chicken.

01~~~~~~~~~~ 01

After Peggy's scolding and put down, both Luke and Ralph had managed to stretch out on the hard bunks and ignore each other.

Deputy Petticord came downstairs with three containers and said to Peggy, "The bottom one is yours and I'll be by in a couple hours to relieve you."

Peggy opened the gate and replied, "Great. Thanks." She took the containers and checked them before handing them into the two young men in her care.

Luke opened the container and sighed at the sight of meatloaf. Not one of his favorites but he could eat it occasionally. Taking a cautious bite he had to wonder where the meat was and what **was** the 'loaf'. The mashed potatoes, obviously instant, tasted like the cardboard they came out of and he was sure the roll was at least a week old.

Luke glanced up to see Peggy adding dressing to her salad that she had previously ordered. Even though he was a meat and potatoes person, he'd gladly have settled for a good salad, but not being one to waste food he began the slow process of getting the food in himself.

Ralph took one look at the contents and closed the container. Leaving it in the bars he turned his back to Luke and hoped the night would end sooner if he was asleep.

Luke knew his night wouldn't end soon as sleep would not find him easily, but was glad to to see Ralph hopefully out of his hair. He managed to get his meal in him, placed the empty container on the shelf and set back on the bunk. He thought of all the things he should have been doing on the farm and all those that Bo could not currently do. For the first time Luke realized how much his irresponsibility would effect his family, and mainly his Uncle, that was more of a father to him than some fathers he knew.

Ralph appeared asleep while Luke remained wide awake. He quietly made his way to the barred window, looked out at the quiet town. The cells were still far warmer than comfortable with no breeze in sight. Luke looked at the coveralls, that indeed covered all. He thought, _'What he would give for his own jeans, shirt and boots.'_ Even with the soring temperatures the cement and steel of the cell still held a chill that sank in bone deep for Luke. He shoved his hands into his pockets, gritted his teeth, squared his chin, and let out a loud sigh, _'It was going to be a LONG ten days.' _

Ralph heard him and said without opening his eyes, "What Duke? Miss yer little girlfriend?"

Luke knew what Ralph implied, gritted his teeth, and said in a no nonsense low voice, "If you know what's good for you, you'll drop that line now."

Ralph seen that his comment annoyed Luke. That was good to know, but even with three quarters of an inch bars between them Ralph did not like the deadly look he was getting from Luke. He shrugged his shoulders and turned toward the wall.

Peggy had looked up. There was an 'exchange' between the two but both had kept their voices too low for her to hear them.

Luke did not like feeling as if he were living under a microscope at all. He had only managed to sigh when Ralph had tried to get a reaction from him. '_Ralph had gotten a reaction, true enough, but it just wasn't the one he had expected.'_Luke thought. Between his anger at Ralph and the situation itself, Luke felt as if he could pace a hole right through the thick cement floor of the cell. Luke resisted the desire to start pacing because he knew that it would only give Ralph more ammunition that he could use against him. He sat down on the bunk, got out the two magazines Bo and Daisy had brought him. He tried to get interested in the Mopar book which was by far his book of choice. After reading, re-reading, and again re-reading the first few sentences of the article ***** _Max Wedge Engine Sixteen Pack Cross Ram Manifold._The picture of the four-carb Max Wedge induction system had peeked his interest but Luke soon found that he was not going to be able to concentrate enough to find out just how that monster worked. He flipped through the rest of the magazine and nothing really caught his attention enough to hold it long enough to read a whole article. He put that book down and reached for the word search that Daisy had brought him. Luke knew that if he hadn't done any of them that it would hrut Daisy's feelings so he began to look for the words of the first puzzle in the book. It took little effort or concentration to complete the first few puzzles. It has also not taken up much time. Luke looked at the front of the book seeing that the book also contained harder puzzles. He found a word search that was thirty by thirty letters where the words could go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions. This particular on was on dogs and had everything from 'Beagle and Pointer' to 'Drentsche Patrijshond and Welsh Springer Spaniel'. After taking a decent amount of time to complete the puzzle Luke looked farther in the book and found a few word scrambles. He found they made him think but didn't require a lot of concentration. Much to his relief it appeared Ralph had actually went to sleep earlier. He thought about the next set of jumbled letters as Deputy Petticord came downstairs to relieve Peggy. Luke figured that it had to at least be near midnight. He knew that he should be tired with the little bit of sleep that he had gotten last night, but he really didn't think that he'd get much sleep as he layed down.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Bo looked at the ceiling. His window was open and the night air gave some relief to the day's heat. He knew it was well past midnight and he should have been asleep hours ago, but he was feeling his heartbeat in his wrist. Doc had told him to keep it elevated above his heart at least for a few days but how was he supposed to do anything with his hand held to his shoulder by a sling. Uncle Jesse had began by fussing at him and finally conceded to let the stubborn one learn the hard way. _'Might be the reason why he couldn't bend any of his fingers for the past few hours.' _Bo thought. He looked at the white monster that covered his arm from below his fingers to just above his elbow. Bo considered himself pretty strong and tried to straighten his elbow out. Nothing. Nothing at all happened. He knocked on the plaster and could feel the vibration but his injured arm felt nothing, absolutely NOTHING. He turned over on his right side placed the pillow over his cast and tried to get comfortable but found that his pillow was much harder on the cast than normal. Turning to the other side wasn't much better, with his elbow not bending Bo could not find a comfortable way to lay.

His thoughts drifted to Luke who was locked inside a 'cage'. Luke had always been a 'free spirit' that had always drifted to and fro, even in the middle of the night. Many times, even as a young teen, Luke had made his way to the barn when he had something on his mind. But now, he likely had somethings on his mind but couldn't wander his way through them. Bo turned onto his back, looked at the cast on his right arm again trying to move his arm inside, no luck. He looked over at Luke's empty bed. Bo could nearly count the times Luke's bed had been empty since they began sharing the room. It was usually when Luke had spent the night with a friend or had spent the night with a relative to get an early start with whatever chore he had went to help with. Bo had never felt as alone as he did now when Luke was gone before. He turned back over. If this was any indication it was going to be a long ten days and a long six weeks.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Daisy could hear Bo tossing and turning through the thin walls of the old house. She knew he wouldn't get much sleep with Luke gone. She wasn't sure who she was more concerned about. Her heart went out to both her cousins. Neither was quiet whole without the other.

Then, she thought about Ralph Green. She knew who he was through Luke but hadn't had any dealings with him herself. The looks he had given her had made her skin crawl. It actually felt as if he was undressing her with his eyes. Daisy knew that Luke and Ralph had never seen eye to eye and under the circumstances she hoped that Luke hadn't seen the looks that Ralph was giving her. Something told her that Uncle Jesse had seen something the way he suddenly sent her and Bo upstairs, but he hadn't mentioned anything to her. One thing Daisy knew for sure was that she planned on wearing considerably more clothes the next time she went to see Luke.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

In the room across the hallway Jesse closed his Bible, put his reading glasses on the table and turned out the bedside lamp. He had known for years that youth was wasted on the young and both his nephews were proving that fact. Both their tempers had gotten them into a hole that there just wasn't any easy way out.

Jesse thought back to the visit earlier with Luke and how uncomfortable Daisy seemed. He'd never seen her act like that before and thought at first it may have been just seeing Luke behind bars, but the more he studied the situation the more he thought that Ralph Green may have done something to her that he had missed. In his worry for Bo, he'd certainly missed her outfit. He had thought about talking to her about it after supper but held off. Jesse didn't want to make a mountain out of a mole hill and certainly didn't want to stir anymore hard feelings with his boys and the Green boy. Jesse decided to pay closer attention today and just see what happened.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Luke had been right. Sleep wasn't anywhere close by even though he had stretched out a couple hours ago and the Deputy had turned the lights down. Luke gave up and set up quietly. He saw Deputy Petticord look up from his magazine, then turn his attention back to the book in front of him. Luke wiped his face with his hand and tried to rub a crick out of his neck, then stood and walked to the small barred window behind him. The summer nights temperatures, the orange jumpsuit along with the situation itself combined to make Luke as cross as a wounded momma bear, but he only had himself to blame for it and that made matters worse. Before he knew it he was pacing the small cell deep in thought and kicking himself for putting him in this situation. His thoughts went first to Robin who had been the love of his life at one point spending the rest of her life with the, ... the, ... well at the moment he couldn't think of a word that actually fit Ralph. Just the thoughts of him touching her ran Luke's blood cold, then he remembered how stand offish Daisy had been to him and finally Ralph's ill directed comment to him about Daisy. He glared at the sleeping Ralph. Luke really wanted to have a heart to fist talk with him but knew it would only make matters worse IF he could have gotten to Ralph. He looked at the thick bars that separated the two cells and seen that the 'getting to Ralph' was not an option at the moment. He'd bide his time and wait. Even though Luke's temper was smoking, he'd wait. He might not like it but he'd wait. He paced more as he thought.

Dawn found Luke looking out the barred window across what little part of Hazzard Square that he could see. He saw Mr. Peters delivering the milk to various places in town. He felt bone weary as he heard Rosco's familiar giggle as he approached the gate.

"Git, Git, Git, Morning, morning, morning." Rosco greeted Deputy Petticord.

The deputy unlocked the gate for the sheriff. "Morning Sheriff."

"Here's the 'prisoner's' breakfast and Josie sent you your regular." Sheriff Rosco said.

The deputy had the good graces to act a bit embarrassed that the regular waitress knew what he'd want for breakfast. The containers were sorted out and he brought two toward the cells. Setting one in the bars of Luke's cell and one in the bars of Ralph's he said, "Breakfast fellas. I'll grab ya'll some coffee."

Luke hadn't noticed the deputy putting on a fresh pot but now smelled the fresh brew. He knew it wouldn't be Jesse's but the warm liquid would surely be welcomed this morning.

Ralph finally stirred at the deputies voice. He took one look at Luke and said, "Duke you look worse than normal. Don't look like jail life agrees with you."

Luke took his coffee and replied just loud enough for Ralph to hear, "It's not the jail. It's the company."

"Nothing like the company of that sweet thang that came to see ya yesterday?" Ralph tossed out.

It took everything in Luke not to make Ralph wear the coffee in his hand. Luke gritted his teeth, counted ten and opened his mouth to reply...

Foot steps were heard coming down the stairs which was unusual this time of the morning. Luke held his reply. The commanding voice of the judge was heard, "Sheriff Coltrane." The Judge waited for the gate to be open. Immediately he turned his attention to the cells. Ralph wore a smug look. Luke's anger showed. The thick tension was felt in the air, "Is something going on here?"

Ralph immediately replied, "No."

Luke was seeing red but replied, "Just working out our differences."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

****** .com/techarticles/engine/mopp_1005_max_wedge_mopp_1005_max_wedge_sixteen_pack_cross_ram_ is the website for the article _Max Wedge Engine Sixteen Pack Cross Ram Manifold _that Luke was trying to read.

NOTE: This is a short chapter but wanted to post while I could. Internet is down and won't be back until about Tuesday. Also have to work 12 hours shifts next week, so posting may remain slow until I can get through next week. Thanks for your patience and reviews.


	21. Pushin' Buttons

Thanks to Bethie88 who jumped in and gave me a boost or two. Her part is in **Bold** print.

01~~~~~~~01

Chapter 21

Judge Hardcastle looked at the two young men before him for another long minute sizing them both up before he said, "I'm glad to hear that you two are working out your differences just as long as neither of you are causing the officers any trouble." He turned to the Deputy and the Sheriff for their input.

Rosco answered honestly before he thought, "I've just been in and out. I don't come on duty here until later."

Deputy Petticord said, "Things have been pretty quiet. I haven't actually heard them say two words to each other."

Judge Hardcastle nodded. He now knew exactly what was going on. The two were still pushing each others buttons but doing so where the officers couldn't hear what was being said. Whatever it was between these two hadn't happened over night nor would they resolve it over night. Time would tell and there was still a lot of hours in the nine days that they would be living beside each other. "All right then, I'm on my way to see if I can hook me a fish of two." He gave Luke and Ralph a no nonsense look and said, "I'll be around when you least expect me to be."

Luke heard the warning loud and clear, though he still wanted to give Ralph a piece of his mind.

Ralph knew it wouldn't take much to push Luke over the edge. He'd just baiting him a little at a time.

01~~~~~~~~~01

At the Duke farm the main chores had been done and breakfast eaten. Daisy had started that laundry as well as working on the breakfast dishes and preparing lunch in between loads. Jesse had Bo with him in the barn. They were tuning up Tilly. Well Jesse was doing the tuning and Bo was handing him the tools. Jesse was almost done when he took the last plug wire off to change the plug he noticed the wire was nearly burnt into where it had been allowed to lay on the manifold. He took the wire off and said, "Well, there is the problem. Looks like we'll be heading to town after lunch."

Bo looked at the small discolored place on the long spark plug wire. "That little place will really make the car not run right?"

Jesse grinned at his youngest nephew. "Yes, son it will." He knew Bo was born to drive from the time he'd started riding a tricycle, but Luke was certainly the mechanic of the two. "Come on, lunch should be ready."

Daisy seen the two heading toward the house and set the lemonade on the table.

Jesse began washing up and said, "After lunch I need to run to the garage for parts for Tilly."

Daisy said, "Can we all go and see Luke too while we're there?"

"That sounds like a fine idea." Jesse said. He was glad that whatever made Daisy act uncomfortable yesterday hadn't stopped her wanting to see Luke today.

01~~~~~~~~01

Shortly after finishing his own breakfast Deputy Petticord began digging around in the file cabinets beside his desk. He eventually found everything that he was looking for and made two stacks consisting of two towels, a wash cloth, a clean jumpsuit, a packet that contained a tube of shaving cream, tooth brush and tooth paste, deodorant, a small bar of soap. He also got out two razors that he would give to Luke and Ralph personally and get them back as soon as they finished using them. He looked up and seen Luke was finished with his breakfast while Ralph was still picking with his, so he put out Luke's things first. He checked the gate to make sure that it had been relocked after the Judge and Sheriff left. Then went to Luke's cell door, "Ready to grab a shower?"

Luke had been setting on the bunk not paying any attention to the Deputy. "I can be." Luke said as he reached for a clean pair of socks and underwear. A shower, particularly a cool one sounded good to him right about now.

The Deputy unlocked the cell door leaving it open and showed Luke to the shower area that set back in an offset behind the officers desk. The shower stall had a door on it that covered the person in the shower from just above the knees to about their shoulders. Luke stepped inside, undressed and put the worn jumpsuit on the shower door. He felt a bit self conscious with the Deputy at the desk even though he had limited privacy as he bathed. With the summer sun shining on their side of the Courthouse the temperatures had already began to rise. Luke welcomed the cool shower in more ways than one. The longer he was here the more he was reminded of how long it had been and would be, before he could indulge in the company of a female.

Realizing that he didn't have any clean socks or underwear, Ralph asked, "Deputy can I make a phone call?"

Deputy Petticord brought the phone over, "Make it quick."

Luke was in the shower but could hear Ralph's side of the conversation.

Ralph had the operator connect him with Robin's house. She answered on the second ring. "Robin." Ralph began, "I really thought that you'd be here by now. I really could use some under clothes to change into when I shower."

Robin felt guilty for not going to the jail to see him, but knew it was a place her parents would never permit her to go. No matter who was there. She said, "I told you that I can't come there."

Ralph now more than insisted she bring him his things, "Look, you know my family ain't comin' all the way here to drop my off some stuff. You are my fiancee and I not only expect but demand you to do as you are told."

Robin very quietly replied, "You'll get your stuff." Then she hung up.

Pleased as punch with his victory, Ralph smiled to himself. He had won the battle without even being near her. She had potential as soon as she learned that he was the boss. The sooner she learned that the sooner things would go smoother for them both.

Luke had no idea what Robin had said to Ralph. He surely didn't like the way Ralph talked to her and he'd have bet good money that Robin would not be seen anywhere near the jail to see Ralph, him or anyone else for that matter. Luke was now dressed in a clean orange jumpsuit. He had just finished shaving and wiped his face off with the wash cloth. As he turned he saw Deputy Petticord waiting expecting. Luke sighed, reached for the razor and handed it to the Deputy who was only doing his job well but it really made Luke feel about three.

Deputy Petticord examined the razor to make sure both blades were still intact. Once satisfied he returned Luke to his cell. Luke again heard the clang of the cell door shutting and the very distinct sound of the lock locking behind him, then the chills again ran down his spine. He then said to Ralph, "Your turn."

"Can I wait a bit? My **girlfriend**," he stressed the last word. "Is going to be bringing me somethings soon."

Knowing that the man hadn't been brought any clean clothes the Deputy agreed, "Alright I'll give her some time."

Luke shook his head and grinned to himself. He knew Robin would not be coming to see Ralph.

About an hour later Rosco came down the stairs carrying a clear plastic bag with socks and underwear in it, "Mr. Green these things were dropped off to you by David McCormick."

Luke grinned. He wondered how much a living he- Robin had made her younger brothers life to get him to deliver the things to Ralph. In fact it took everything in him for Luke not to rub in the fact that Robin herself had not shown up here. Before he could think of rubbing it in he heard Jesse and the others coming down the stairs. As Peggy let them in Luke seen that with Jesse was Bo, Cooter, and Daisy, who had worn jeans and high necked top. Even though Luke hadn't seen Ralph's glares at Daisy he was glad she had on a sight more clothes than she did at her first visit.

Cooter just being Cooter couldn't help himself as he stepped closer to the cells and joked, "So Lucas, what kind of bird don't fly?"

Even though the old joke more than slightly annoyed Luke, coming from Cooter, there wasn't much Luke could do but just roll his eyes at his long time friend. No matter how much he tried to stop it, Luke couldn't stop the grin on his face as Cooter stepped closer and shook his hand. Cooter had succeeded in getting a laugh out of Luke even under these circumstances.

Jesse wanted to scold the two idiots and tell them this was no laughing matter, but for now he'd take the smile on his oldest face.

Daisy still felt Ralph's eyes glaring at her and moved to Jesse's right side. "Luke did you like the word search?"

Luke answered honestly, "Yes I did, Darlin'. I did several puzzles last night."

Daisy beamed. She was glad she had gotten Luke something that he liked.

Bo said, "So tell me about the Hemi?" He was certain that Luke had read that article at least twice.

Luke sighed before telling Bo the truth, "Bo I started the article. I started it several times..."

Bo said disappointed, "You didn't like it?"

"No. Bo, that's not it at all. I'll read it. Really I want to. I wanted to yesterday, but, ... it's hard to explain, ... I've got the time to read it. Got plenty of time, ..." Luke sighed. Then he remembered a way to tell Bo what was going on with him, "Remember when Jesse grounded you for getting D in literature? Your homework that weekend was to read McBeth. You had all the time in the world and how much of it did you read?"

Jesse frowned and looked at Bo.

Bo shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe the first page."

Luke nodded, "Do you remember any of it?"

"No, ..." Bo admitted.

"Even though the piece on the Hemi is much more my style than McBeth was yours, it's the same thing." Luke said.

Bo let the idea sink in a minute before saying, "Yeah. Ok. I see your point." Bo had thought of all the things he was missing while he was grounded. His mind just wouldn't let up so that he could concentrate on the words. He'd read them over and over but just couldn't get anything out of them. Hard to figure that Luke couldn't get anything out of a car magazine, but then again Bo figured that Luke had a bit the same thoughts of what all he was missing too.

Daisy, Cooter and even Jesse frowned at the two. They could not see the point, but obviously the two cousins could.

Cooter said, "Well, I gave the Deputy a magazine for ya that may not be that technical. It's fairly old and you have to watch cause the pages may stick together a bit."

Luke nodded, "Ok thanks."

The Dukes and Cooter continued small talk until their time was up. Daisy felt herself let out a sigh of relief as they started up the stairs from the jail. Even though she was dressed in far more clothes than before she still felt as if Ralph was trying to eye her.

After the Dukes visit, Ralph was taken to get his shower while Luke looked at the magazine that Cooter had brought him. It was a book he'd looked at often at the garage, but something was different. Some of the pages felt thicker than others. Luke remembered that Cooter had cautioned that some of the pages had been sticking together. He looked closer and found that some of the pages had another page attached to them. Luke started unpeeling the pages and found the additional pages were select pages from centers of magazines that would not be permitted. Luke had to laugh at the antics of his friend and the failure of the deputy to find the added pages. He stuck the book under his pillow for now and got the word search back out.

Ralph stayed in the shower long enough that the deputy had to hurry him up. Dressed in a clean orange jumpsuit Ralph was returned to his cell before he got the desired effect from the shower. It had really annoyed him how short the shower time was and just what did that deputy think he was going to do with a danged disposable razor. What really peeved Ralph off was Robin, how dare she not do as he'd told her. True enough she had sent him the things he needed but **she** didn't bring them to him. He knew that Duke just loved that. He would have to figure out a way to get her here just to prove to Duke that he could and would get what he wanted from the girl that Duke let slip away from him. Ralph picked up the bag of things he'd been sent and seen a magazine inside. It was a fishing magazine which was not a favorite but having nothing else to keep him occupied he picked up the book and thumbed through it. Immediately he knew two things: This was Robin's brothers magazine and Rosco had not looked past the cover. Ralph took the magazine and placed it on the bunk against the wall so that he could look at it with his back to Luke. He didn't need anyone else seeing the contents of this magazine.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Over at the garage, it was nearly quitting time for Cooter as Dobro Doolin and Brodie pulled up at the gas pumps. After pumping the gas into the El Camino they went inside to pay Cooter for the gas. Dobro was more Luke and Cooter's age, while Brodie was in Bo's class.

**Cooter grinned at the two men as they came in, money in hand. "Thanks, fellas," he said. "Say..." he added. "Y'all got a few days this week you ain't gonna be busy? Me and Daddy might need a little extra help around here for a few days."**

**"Why's that?" Dobro asked. "I thought between you, your daddy, and Luke you had it all covered. Heck, I asked if you needed extra help a few weeks ago."**

Cooter sighed, "Yeah, well that was before Luke went to court on that racing charge."

**Both boys' eyebrows shot up. "You don't mean..." Brodie began, trailing off before he finished the thought.**

Cooter nodded, "Yeah, I do mean. Ya know he went before Hardcastle."

"Hardcase?" Dobro groaned. Dobro, as well as anyone between the ages of 18 and 80 that came through Hazzard knew the Judge's reputation for handing out the strictest sentences he could legally give.

"Yeah." Cooter confirmed with a sigh.

Dobro replied, "Ah, ... Man. How bad?"

Cooter replied, "Bad enough, but it could have been a sight worse. Mark McCormick and me even went to court with him. You know he was charged with DUI but he was drinking after he had drove. Anyway, he got TEN days and his license will be revoked for FIFTEEN days afterwards!"

"Jeese!" Brodie exclaimed.

"What?" Dobro echoed his friend.

Cooter nodded. "Yeah and you don't even want to talk about what happens IF he gets caught driving while his license are revoked. But that ain't the HALF of it, ... Ralph got the SAME thing, ... and they are in cells RIGHT beside each other!"

Dobro knew Luke nearly as well as Cooter did, "He'll kill Ralph before the weeks up."

Cooter nodded, "Yeah, ... the thing is that the Judge is tired of hearing about them going at each other, it seems he wants them to work out their differences."

Dobro laughed, "Won't happen as long as Robin is in the middle."

Brodie only knew part of the story since he was a bit younger but even to him things didn't sound good.

Cooter said glumly, "You and I know that, but I'm not so sure the Judge has all the information he thinks he has in this. Anyway, we may need some help this month."

Dobro nodded, "I'm all for helpin' ya, but if I get a better offer, ..."

Cooter nodded. He knew where Dobro was going with this. "Yeah, yeah, I know you got to go with the money."

"Money is good but the fringed benefits are great!" Dobro added.

All Brodie could do was smile like a babblin' fool. He had went along with Dobro on his last run. They had not only been on time, but early. The owner of the establishment was more than pleased and arranged for a free night on the house for the drivers who could get him his bootleg alcohol earlier than promised. Dobro was no stranger to the fringed benefits but it was all new to Brodie.

Dobro continued, "So tell me about Luke."

Cooter began, "I went over with Jesse and the others today. Managed to slip him that old 4x4 magazine he's read a hundred times." Cooter's grin was wide and proud.

"He's read that like us all at least a hundred times." Dobro said.

Brodie then said, "Why are these magazines apart?"

Cooter smiled wider and beamed with pride, "Cause I added them to the car magazine I took Luke earlier."

Dobro said, "You didn't?"

"I did!" Cooter said proudly.

Dobro for the first time reminded Cooter what he'd actually did, "So it was your intent to get him hot and bothered with no way of relief?"

Cooter frowned a puzzled look, "No."

Dobro asked, "Then you planned to do exactly what?"

Cooter stumbled over his thoughts and words only managing to studer a bit, "I, well, ... um, .. I, ... it seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Oh, no doubt it was a good idea. Just might been a bit evil." Dobro said grinning widely.

Cooter and Brodie joined his grin and the three had a real good laugh at their friend's expense. They knew he'd look at the pictures in the book. They knew the thoughts the pictures would provide. They also knew the effect those thoughts would have on their friend which caused them to laugh until nearly hyperventilating.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

By the time Rosco came in for his shift, both the 'prisoners' had showered, eaten lunch, Luke visit was done, Ralph's call had been made, both young men seemed to be reading magazines. Rosco locked the gate behind Deputy Petticord, took his seat and opened his paper. Peggy would be in for the night shift in time for him to make a patrol around town and the Boar's Nest before heading home. Rosco figured on a real peaceful evening as he put his feet up on the desk and looked at the paper.

Luke was working puzzles in the word search and had re-read a couple of the short pieces in the magazine that Cooter left him. He was smart enough to leave the pictures under cover. Just the glance at the first addition to the magazine told Luke what the other added pages were. He also knew that he didn't need visual aids to add to the thoughts about what he was missing out on.

Ralph was concentrating on the pictures in the magazine that Robin's younger brother had brought him.

Rosco's evening had indeed went by quietly. He hadn't heard a single word from either of the young men in his care. He welcomed Peggy at the gate glad to be heading out on patrol and hoping to find some action.

Peggy locked the gate behind the Sheriff, put her stuff on the desk and turned the lights down on low.

Luke closed the puzzle book. With the lights turned down there was no way he could see well enough to read the print to find the words.

Ralph continued to turn the pages of his book.

Several minutes went by when Luke heard him turn another page in the magazine. Luke was currently stretched out on the hard bunk staring at the ceiling.

Peggy was reading a novel that she had traded for with another correctional officer at Tri-Counties and all was quiet through out the jail not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.

That is right up until the time when Ralph gasped, groaned and then moaned no matter how hard he tried to contain himself.

Knowing exactly what had happened, Peggy silently crossed the room to the cell door in time to see Ralph trying unsuccessfully to hide the magazine in question. She unlocked the cell door and said, "I'll take that magazine Mr. Green."

Ralph mumbled under his breath, finally handing Peggy the magazine.

Peggy relocked the cell door and went back to the desk.

Luke laughed out loud. He had to, he just had to say it, "What? Can't control yourself with a picture of a woman? What would happen if you actually had a real live woman in your bed? Sure is ashamed ya ain't had your girlfriend after **Months** of tryin'. " Of course Luke didn't say exactly how long it took him to get to know Robin real personal like either.

01~~~~~~~~01

Thanks for sticking around! Hope everyone has a good upcoming Holiday Season! Please Review!


	22. Stepping over the Line

Again thanks to Bethie88 for her contrabutions in bold. Also thanks for permission from JadedPhoenixBurning for her permission to base my Aunt Pauline from My ImaginarySister? on hers. I can't use her character because in her story line Pauline is Jesse's sister, in mine she is his sister-in-law and Jebs Mom. Hope you enjoy!

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 22

Ralph merely turn his back to Luke and Peggy with a grumble.

Peggy pulled out a folder of form blanks that she had made through the years for times like this. She took out a touched up Tri-Counties Incident form which she had already changed to a blank Hazzard County Incident form. She began to write the incident up to attach to the magazine to have when she turned it over to Judge Hardcastle.

Luke seen Peggy working on writing something. Up until now she had been leisurely reading. Luke thought that didn't look good for Ralph, but he had to admit that he'd had a good laugh at Ralph's situation. He smiled as he tucked the 4x4 magazine with additions under his mattress. It was too dark to read anything at this point so he tried to stretch out and hope that sleep found him sooner than later. Trouble was Luke was used to the hard work of the farm and was usually more than ready for bed at this hour after a hard days work, but after a day of setting around doing a whole lot of nothing he wasn't sleepy. He may be bone weary and tired but not sleepy. Luke could hear Ralph grumbling and mumbling to himself and had to laugh again to himself.

The rest of the week went by slow for Bo, slower for Luke and Ralph. Yeah, they had pushed each other's bottons, ground on each other gears and nerves but they had made it to Saturday morning and could see Wednesday in their sights. Still unseen by the Duke men, Ralph had continued to lear at Daisy, so much that she figured on not going to see Luke today. She had been thinking long and hard about this since seeing Luke yesturday and all morning as she did her house work.

Daisy was thinking as she set the dinner table, 'All I have to do is get by Uncle Jesse without him knowing why I don't want to go see Luke.'

Jesse pulled the pick up into the barn. He had just enough time before dinner to load up Tilley with the shine he had in the back of the truck from one of the still sites that it was hard to get to in any car.

Bo had finished up his chores and had come in to the barn to put something up. He saw Jesse loading Tilley and went to help even if it was one handed. "You've got a run tonight?" He asked.

Jesse replied, "Sure do."

"Can I go with ya?" Bo asked. He knew Daisy would be working and he'd be home all alone tonight unless he got lucky and got to go out somewhere. Which seemed a bit unlikely since he and Daisy were still pretty much grounded as far as going too many places.

Jesse thought about it for a minute. Leave Bo at home, let him go out to heavens knew where or take Bo with him. It would be an out of state run, which meant he'd be gone awhile, but also that there was more chance of getting caught. That was the one thing the Duke family didn't need right now with Luke, the only other adult in the family was already in jail. Jesse knew that were he to get caught on a run while Luke was in jail exactly how much trouble that would cause for Bo and Daisy who were only sixteen. He also knew how bad it would look for him to have a sixteen year old with him if he were caught. He sighed. There was only one thing to do. Do what he'd been doing since he, himself had been sixteen. He had started driving loads a might younger than that which was a fact that he had always managed to dodge with the boys but times were different then. He would just have to NOT get caught. "Alright Bo. After we go see Luke, I'll let Daisy drive to work tonight and we'll head out about ten so get ya some rest this evening."

Bo nodded frantically, "Yes Sir!" Bo knew better than to ask where they were going and that if he were going he'd be counted on for an extra set of eyes not sleeping. He finished helping Jesse load Tilley and as they headed to the house, Bo broke into a run, ... "Hey Daisy! Guess what?"

Jesse heard him from the barn yard and picked up his step to quiet the idiot down.

Daisy nearly jumped out of her skin at Bo's entrance in the house, "BO! You nearly scared the LIFE out of me!" Daisy reprimanded.

Jesse reached the door before Bo replied, "Sorry Daisy! But, guess what?" Before Jesse could warn him to lower his voice, Bo added much quieter, "I get to go with Uncle Jesse tonight."

Jesse let out the breath he'd been holding since Bo began yelling.

Daisy exclaimed, "What? ... Uncle Jesse how come the boys always get to go and I can't?'

Jesse was boxed in a corner. He had let Luke go with him for some time now and had let Bo go a few times, mainly on local stuff. But had refused to let Daisy go on anything but very short local trips. He held up his hand to silence his only niece. "Alright, after Luke gets home, one night when you aren't working I'll let ya go with me."

"Really?" Daisy asked.

Jesse nodded that he was serious.

Daisy began jumping up and down as she hugged her Uncle Jesse. "Thank you Uncle Jesse!"

Jesse had to smile at the kids excitement about the family business. He knew there was a lot of work involved in making good quality shine and getting it to his buyers without getting caught, but the kids had seen and helped on the work end since they were able to follow him up to the hill to the still closest to the house. He can remember them telling Daisy that one of her legs was gonna be longer than the other from walking the hill so much. "Alright, now lets eat and get ready to go see Luke before you have to be at work."

Daisy began dipping out stew into bowls, "Actually I need to do a few things before work. I think I'll pass going to see Luke today." She saw the disappointment in Bo's face even before he spoke.

"Daisy you can't mean that! Luke is there without us all day and we can only see him for a danged half hour. You can take that much time to go see him." Bo said.

Jesse looked from one to the other. He fully knew that Bo would have camped out in a sleeping bag outside Luke's cell for the entire ten days if anyone would let him. He wasn't real happy about any of the three of his 'kids' getting this sort of experience, but they were family and family stuck together. "Daisy, Honey, Bo is right. We are all the family that Luke has close by and we are all gonna be there for him."

Feeling lower than she had in a long while, Daisy dropped her head and replied, "Yes, Sir." She knew they were both right. She would either have to tell the truth about why she didn't want to go to the jail or go with them. She figured that going would be easier than trying to explain everything.

Jesse reached for a letter in the mail that was waiting for him in the center of the table as Daisy poured his after dinner coffee. It was from his brother's wife, Pauline, over in Placid County. "Well, lookie here we's got us a letter from your Aunt Pauline."

Daisy nodded, "I put it on top for you." Daisy and the boys loved their Aunt Pauline but sometimes she could be a bit uppity. Daisy had hoped the letter contained news of one of their favorite cousins, Jeb.

Jesse opened the letter and began to read it to himself. He always did this and then he'd go back and read the parts the kids would like to hear.

Daisy and Bo waited patiently, but seen Jesse grimace just a bit about half way through the letter. Daisy asked, "Is everything alright, Uncle Jesse?"

He nodded that it was and finished the letter. Jesse took a deep breath and let it out slowly before telling the kids what was in the letter. Normally this would be welcomed news but he seen how bad the timing was and knew that Luke's situation would be told to all the family. Not that Jesse tried to hide anything from his family. Any Duke with an drop of Duke blood knew how easily trouble found the entire clan, especially while in Hazzard County, but there were a few that had married into the family who still didn't understand that things were different in Hazzard County, especially if your last name happened to be Duke. "Well, it seems that since summer vacation is here your cousin Jeb can't find anything to keep him busy in Placid County. Aunt Pauline is bringing him over tomorrow to spend some time with you all." Jesse paused.

Daisy squealed.

Bo gave his rebel yell.

They they both noticed that Jesse wasn't as happy about the situation as he would normally be. Both asked, "What?"

Jesse gave a weak smile. "Pauline also says that she can't wait to see how you have all grown, especially Luke with him graduating and all. She is bringing his special gift with her."

Daisy grimaced.

Bo groaned.

They both knew how their aunt could be. She would not be satisfied until she saw Luke with her own eyes. No amount of explaining would work, she would have to see Luke.

01~~~~~~~~01

NARRATOR: "With the evening sun still bearing down on the Hazzard Courthouse the temperature outside had to still be around ninety five degrees in the shade. As for the temperatures inside the Hazzard Jail with no air conditioner and only one fan, well we'll just say hot was not the right word."

Luke was standing near the window of the cell with orange jumpsuit that he wore unzipped half way down his chest. He was hoping to get at least a hint of a breeze from outside as the cells were getting next to none of the little air the fan at the officer's desk was putting out.

**The Duke family made their way into the jailhouse to visit Luke. As usual, Bo was talking a mile a minute, while Daisy, certainly more shy than usual about her body, was hiding behind Jesse and Bo, avoiding Ralph's probing gaze at all costs.**

**"Doin' all right, Luke?" Bo asked, speaking to his cousin, but keeping his eyes fixed on the other jailbird.**

Luke really wasn't 'alright' but there was no point in getting his family down. "Yeah at least it's the half way point."

Jesse had noticed the temperature on the jail as soon as he got about half way down the stairs. He looked at the one box fan near Peggy's desk which she did have pointing toward the cells. He said loud enough to get the officer's attention, "It's a hot one outside, but it's much worse down here."

Peggy agreed, "Yes, I know. I brought this fan from home. You know how tight the jail budget is."

Jesse grumbled about how tight JD Hogg was since he'd gotten into office, then said, **"JD always was cheap, in ALL his business endeavors..."**

**Bo nodded his agreement. "Dang right, Uncle Jesse! What're they trying to do, COOK Luke alive?"**

**Daisy glanced up at Luke. "I can bring ya the fan from my room, Sugar," she said, sweetly.**

Luke smiled the sweet jester from his baby cousin, "Darlin' I appreciate that, really I do, but I'm good. Once the sun moves it cools down." Luke was truthful it did cool down from a pressure cooker to just unbearable and that was eventually.

Daisy said, "I've already got my skates out and cleaned up to go skating when you get home."

Luke had almost forgotten about that, but he was sure she wouldn't let him. The trip was for her not him. He actually never cared much for skating but was good at it. It had always been Robin who wanted to go and the many months they dated before they got to know each other so well, he had taken her skating often. "That's good. I'll have to find my skates. I don't have a clue where they are."

Unthinking about what she was going to say and who she saying it in front of, Daisy replied, "They are in the big box of your stuff in the front closet. The one with all the stuff you had at Robin's."

**Ralph, in the meantime, was much more concerned with Daisy's body, which looked far more like a woman's than a girl's these days. But the mention of Luke's things at Robin's more than got his attention. **He had been acting as if he was reading the paper, but jerked his head to look at Luke before he could stop himself.

Bo nudged Daisy, who still wasn't sure what she'd said wrong.

At the sudden movement from Ralph in the cell beside him, Luke turned to look him in the eye and gave him a very smug look, while speaking to Daisy, "I know the box."

Jesse seen the need to quickly change the subject. "We got a letter from your Aunt Pauline today."

Luke never looked at Jesse, still glared at Ralph, daring him to say anything. He asked, "So, what did she have to say?"

"Seems your cousin Jeb needs to be occupied this summer. Your Aunt Pauline is bringing him down tomorrow. Said she can't wait to see you **all**, " Jesse stressed the last word, "She is also bringing your graduation present."

Luke had let most of what Jesse said go over his head. He did catch that Pauline was bringing Jeb over and wanted to see them all. "When did you say she was coming over?" Luke finally turned to Jesse.

Jesse replied more slowly this time, "Tomorrow."

Unable to hold his composure at the sudden realization of what Jesse was telling him, Luke swore, "Ah sh-!"

Jesse scolded, "Now Luke."

Luke gritted his teeth against what he wanted to say, and asked, "Can't you do something? I don't care if Jeb comes with ya'll but NOT Aunt Pauline."

Jesse nodded, "I hear ya Luke. Really I do. I'll try, but I can't promise that she won't be with us tomorrow."

Luke was lonesome for family and all, but Aunt Pauline. There was no one in the family that could make this sound any worse to the rest of the family. Luke clinched his teeth, he knew that Jesse would do what he could, but felt certain that his Aunt Pauline would be here tomorrow.

Daisy was dressed in her low cut top for work but had a zip up jacket zipped up nearly to her neck over it, she wore jeans not her usual short shorts that she wore at work. Those were in the car to change into at the Boar's Nest.

Luke for the first time looked at Daisy, "Don't you have to work tonight?"

Daisy blushed a bit as she said, "Yeah."

"Well I know you are not wearing all that to work." Luke said. "And why are you wearing all that in this heat?

Daisy blushed, "No, I'm not. I have a change in the car."

Luke nodded. "Wouldn't it have been easier and cooler to already be ready?"

"Yes, it would have been, but,..." Daisy blushed.

Peggy checked the time, "Mr. Duke."

Jesse nodded. She didn't have to say anymore. "Come on kids, it's about that time."

They all bid each other good byes.

Luke called to Jesse, "Uncle Jesse, about Aunt Pauline, I'm fishin', huntin', ... fell off a cliff?"

**Jesse turned an even gaze on his nephew. "You're right here, and your Aunt is coming to see you." His tone was final, with a biting edge.**

**Luke started to argue. "But, Uncle Jesse..."**

**Jesse glared at him. "Don't you Uncle Jesse me! You was fightin' and you got caught. You know better, and I ain't gonna cover for your mistakes. Aunt Pauline'll be by to see ya tomorrow."**

Luke grimaced, then looked up hoping to catch Bo's eye, which he did, and sent him a pleading look.

Bo nodded, swallowed hard and began to work on his uncle for his cousin, "Unc, Uncle Jesse, now come on let's talk about this, ..." Bo insisted as they started up the stairs.

Luke would have rather had teeth pulled with out novacaine than to deal with Aunt Pauline. He prayed Bo would have some luck or Jesse would change his mind.

Ralph looked up from the paper, "Sure was ashamed that cousin of yours was so over dressed for work and all. I much prefer her in those shorts she had on the first day. Still say you got something going on there Duke!"

**In a flash, quicker than he could've expected, Ralph was banging into the bars, Luke's hands gripping his shirt collar tight as he yelled, "You listen to me you sorry piece of crap! You better stay away from Daisy. I don't wanna go back to jail, but so help me if you come near her, I'll put a hurting on you they'll HAVE to lock me up for."**

**Ralph, still not to be deterred, laughed lightly. "Why would I stay away from Daisy? She works at the Boar's Nest... Everybody knows the girls who work there are a good time waitin' to happen."**

**Luke jerked harder, probably leaving bar shaped marks on Ralph, but he really didn't care. "You so much as SPEAK to my little cousin, Ralph, and I'll put a hurtin' on you that kerosene won't wash off."**

Peggy was up and headed toward the bars. She couldn't enter either cell being the only officer on duty. She said in a powerful commanding voice, "Luke Duke let go of him now!"

That caught the attention of Judge Hardcastle and Sheriff Coltrane who were upstairs on their way down to the jail.

Ralph said, "What are you so sore about? She sure looks like a good time to me. Course I'm sure you know that."

Luke's grip tightened on Ralph's jumpsuit.

**Peggy shook her head. "Luke, don't make me pull my gun," she said, hoping that would be enough. She liked the Dukes, and the thought of having to threaten or harm Luke didn't sit well with her.**

**Ralph, on the other hand, was pushing Luke in the opposite direction. "I mean, I hate to steal another of your girls, Luke, and I'm sure you've been enjoyin' that cousin of yours, but I might have to slip in and get some of that myself."**

By this time Judge Hardcastle was down the steps with Rosco behind him, "Open the gate."

Peggy would rather have back up than to have to pull a gun in the enclosed room. She backed off and opened the gate for the Judge and Rosco, then locked it back. Returning to the cell she ordered, "Luke let go NOW!"

By now Luke had his other hand through the bars.

**"What is going ON, here?" the judge asked, his tone more annoyed than anything.**

**"This son of a b**** just attacked me outta nowhere!" Ralph announced, making himself look to be the victim.**

**"You tell him the truth!" Luke yelled back, pulling him hard against the cell again. **Luke actually had Ralph around his neck in a 'sleeper hold'. Luke tightened his grip just a bit to let Ralph know that he could. He really hadn't registered the judge and the sheriff's presence. He was far to mad to think reasonably now.

**That was when Rosco unlocked the cell, and walked in, pulling Luke off of Ralph. "Take it easy, Luke," he said, as Ralph watched in amusement through the bars.**

**"I was just sittin here readin the paper, and the next thing I know, he's attackin' me!" Ralph said, as he rubbed his sore neck.**

Rosco had managed to get Luke setting on the bunk and he was in front of him between Luke and Ralph.

Luke finally realized that Rosco was there with him being in front of him and all, "You're a liar! You was talking trashy about Daisy!" Luke started to stand up again.

Rosco put him back on the bunk as Judge Hardcastle stepped in the cell with the Sheriff.

Unseen by the Sheriff and the Judge, Ralph made a vulgar jester to Luke that even Peggy missed as she was more concerned with Luke and the Sheriff and Judge's safety.

Luke couldn't help himself at this point he headed toward Ralph.

**Rosco managed to get Luke back down once again, and Judge Hardcastle shook his head. "Boy, you're really makin' me regret not puttin' you UNDER the jail."**

**Luke gave the judge an apologetic look, cooling off just a little. "I'm sorry to cause y'all trouble, Judge Hardcastle, but that fool ought not to talk about Daisy that-a-way!"**

Judge Hardcastle seen Rosco had his hands full, keeping Luke at bay. His only choice was to get Ralph upstairs to let them calm down while he figured out who was responsible for this disturbance. The Judge told Luke in no uncertain terms. "Stay on the bunk." Then he turned to Ralph, get against the far wall and toward the cell door."

Luke stayed seated.

Ralph moved to the door.

Hardcastle steered Rosco out of the cell so that Peggy could lock Luke's cell again. "Move Ralph upstairs for now." Hardcastle ordered Peggy and Rosco.

Ralph was playing the 'victim' and did as told to be moved upstairs away from Luke.

After Rosco, Peggy and the Judge got their second wind, it was time to get to the bottom of things,...

**Peggy and Hardcastle talked to Ralph upstairs, while Rosco sat downstairs, asking Luke for his side of the story.**

**"Rosco, I sure don't mean no harm to you or Peggy or the judge, but I couldn't let that fool talk that way about Daisy. She's family." **Luke tried to explain.

Peggy had heard some of Ralph's comments about Daisy, whom she knew was Luke's cousin. She told Judge Hardcastle what she had heard and seen.

Judge Hardcastle nodded and replied, "Put it all in a report. Put a 'Hold' card on them both and I'll sort it out on Wednesday, before they are released."

Peggy replied, "Yes Sir. I also have another incident on Mr. Green. Seems he had a contraband magazine."

Hardcastle replied, "I'll sort it out Wednesday. Send it all over together. If you feel you must leave Green up here its fine, though I'd prefer he be moved back down once they cool off."

**Rosco left Luke in his cell, and the dark-haired Duke stretched out on his bunk, shaking his head. He'd let Ralph get the better of him again, and he was angry with himself for it. ****Sighing, he closed his eyes. Might as well take a nap. Nothing else to do.**

Ralph on the other hand was feeling finer than frog hair as long as no one was watching that is. He had sucker Luke into showing himself royally in front of the Judge. What more could he want? He had no clue that Peggy had heard much of him egging Luke on.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

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	23. The Visit

Thanks for all the reviews. Also thanks to Bethie88 for her additions in Bold print.

Chapter 23

Sunday after church, the Duke farm was getting ready for lunch and company. They expected Aunt Pauline and Cousin Jeb anytime. Jesse wished that his brother would have brought Jeb. He knew he'd be busy with his own farm but his and the kids' life would have been a sight easier if he came instead of his wife. Jesse knew he had been hard on Luke the day before and would try to convince Pauline that she did not need to go see Luke, however, if past history counted, Jesse knew that wild horses would not keep her away from Luke once she learned where he was at, and especially with him being in jail.

It was that exact moment the powerful Chrysler engine was heard coming up the drive way. Bo looked from the sound to his uncle, "Uncle Jesse, it's gonna be bad enough with her going on about this, " He held up his casted right forearm, "Do you really have to tell her about Luke?"

Jesse sighed, "I hope not but don't count on it." he said as he waved at the approaching car that was parking in front of the Duke house.

Bo let out a sigh of relief, _'At least Jesse wasn't gonna feed Luke to the sharks just because he could.' _He thought.

Bounding from the driver's side was Jesse's brother's wife, Jeb's mother, "Jesse! It is so good to see ya'll! I wished that we could get over here more often, I just know that you will keep Jeb so busy this summer that he won't be getting into any trouble over here! Oh my goodness just look at the way ya'll grown, ... " she managed in one breath, then realized that her favorite nephew was no where to be seen, "Where is Luke? I've got his graduation present and everything. I'm so sorry that we couldn't make it over for his graduation, ..." She stopped in mid rant as she saw Daisy go pale, then looked to Jesse for direction.

Bo grimaced, then turned ghost white. Jesse wiped his face with his hand, Jesse suggested, "Why don't we go on in the place and have a nice glass of tea. I'll explain everything."

Pauline nodded, but then saw Bo's casted wrist, "OH! MY! What in the world happened to you?"

Bo frowned and looked to his uncle for a rescue.

Jesse turned to Bo waiting for him to answer his aunt.

Bo seen that Jesse was not going to help him or bail him out. He stuttered but finally answered, "I lost my temper and hit the pick up."

"Oh MY DEAR Boy!" Pauline said. "What on Earth could make you do something like that?" She never paused to take a breath before looking at Jesse, "Surely you have taught these children of evils of anger and having a temper."

Jesse jumped in before she could continue, "Yes, I have indeed. Let's get out of this sun. Lunch is ready and been waiting on ya'll to get here." He hoped that would distract her from her original rant.

"Oh, I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting," Pauline said honestly she said as the group began to move to the already set table. She immediately spotted that the table was set for five, not six. That would be Jesse, Daisy, Bo, Jeb and herself. She couldn't help but wonder where Luke was.

As they gathered around the table for the already prepared lunch, Jesse began grace, "Lord, thank you for the this family, those that are gathered, as well as those that are absent. Bless the ones who prepared and those that will benefit from your wondrous bounty. In Jesus name, Amen."

The rest of the family 'amened' Jesse's grace. The boys began to quickly dig in while Daisy waited her turn. Pauline again brought up the subject of Luke, "So, Luke won't be joining us? Is he working?"

Jesse began honestly, "Well, Luke has been helping out at the local wrecker service and garage for a year or so. No, he won't be able to join us for lunch."

Both Daisy and Bo's eyes went wide. Their uncle had told the absolute truth, but had left out a bunch of information.

Jeb seen their reaction and couldn't wait to hear the 'rest of the story'.

Pauline never wavered, "Oh, that is such ashamed. What time will he be off work? I had planned to head on back after lunch, but I'm not leaving until I see his face when he opens his graduation present."

Jesse had a heard time swallowing the bite of sandwich he had just taken.

Daisy and Bo both dropped their heads.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

At the jail, as Peggy handed in Luke's lunch, he asked, "Yesterday. How deep am I?"

Peggy knew what Luke was talking about and had not moved Ralph back downstairs because of it. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to find the words to best tell the young man that he had made a big mistake at the worst possible time. "Luke you physically attacked another inmate..."

"But, he, ..." Luke began.

Peggy shook her head, "No. What he did was bait you in, push your buttons. You are the one that leaped head long into a situation that had to be 'handled'. Worst of all, the Judge not only heard about it but was here."

Luke started to reply but seen the lady hold up her finger to 'hush' him.

"I assure you that I will put in the report what I heard of Ralph trying to push you, but I didn't hear it all." Peggy said.

Luke nodded. That was fair. "I understand." Suddenly Luke wasn't very hungry.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Daisy served up a homemade peach pie with coffee after lunch. She had just poured the last coffee when Pauline looked at her brother-in-law, "So, ... you never did say when Luke would be home today."

Jesse sighed and pushed his pie away from him, "Kids." He said as he motioned for them to head outside.

Bo was ready to retreat. He stood up quickly as did Daisy. Jeb, however, wanted to hear what Jesse had to say, but he saw the look Bo gave him. Knowing that Bo and Daisy would fill him in he followed them outside.

Jesse waited until the kids to clear out before he began to speak, "Pauline, ...Luke won't be home today. ... And no, he's not at work." Jesse paused.

Pauline started to say something, when Jesse held up his hand to silence her.

"And, ... it would likely be better to give Luke his graduation present when you come back to get Jeb." Jesse concluded.

"When I come back? Jesse, that won't be for awhile. I want Luke to be able to enjoy his graduation present this summer. What do you mean that he won't be home today if he isn't at work?" Pauline ranted.

Jesse knew he had no other choice and knew where this conversation would lead, "Pauline, ... Luke is** not comin' home because he's in jail."**

**"JAIL?" the woman repeated, eyebrows raising so fast Jesse couldn't help thinking they were going to fly off of her forehead. "And just HOW on earth did you manage to let that boy get arrested, Jesse? You answer me THAT right now! I'm sure the Duke name has just been dragged through the dirt in Hazzard County." The fussy woman shook her head in shock... and a little bit of pride that HER Jeb had never been in such trouble.**

Jesse counted ten before repling a bit louder than he planned, "Pauline, I didn't LET Luke get arrested!" he tried to lower his voice, "I'll worry about the Duke name in Hazzard, like MY brother will in Placid County!"

Pauline was known to ruffle feathers but she did respect her husband. **Just the same, she couldn't believe her nephew was in the Hazzard County Jail. "Well, I suppose I'll just have to go visit Luke..." she said, her tone firm.**

Jesse grimaced, then rubbed his temples, "Now Pauline, ..."

**"Jesse, nothing you can say is going to keep me from going to visit. I'm within my rights, and I'm going." Pauline said.**

**Jesse knew how determined Pauline could be, but still...**

He sighed loudly, "Alright Pauline, but, ..."

Pauline cut Jesse off, "Just exactly what was he arrested for?"

Jesse gritted his teeth in anticipation of her reply, "He was racing a car, got into a fight, and he had, ... been, ... drinking."

**"Drinking and driving? Jesse Duke, Dukes have never shied away from alcohol, but drinking and driving? Luke should know better by now! How on earth did this happen?" Pauline demanded. **

**Jesse's patience was wearing thin, but he hated the idea of yelling at a female. **"First of ALL! Luke was NOT drinking and driving. I said he was racing, got into a fight and was drinking." Jesse wasn't happy.

**"And how exactly does one race, if not by driving? He was behind the wheel, and drinking in the same night... I suppose he raced, then decided to drink?" Pauline shot back.**

**Her high and mighty tone was wearing on Jesse quickly**. Jesse's voice was raising quicker than he intended, "Exactly. He raced a fella who from what I understand went in a ditch. While working to get him out, Luke drank a bit. Then, they got into an argument over the out come. That's when the Sheriff showed up because he had a call about them racing."

**Pauline obviously didn't believe Luke and Jesse's story, but knew better than to accuse Luke of lying to his Uncle. "That Luke's temper is going to get him into more trouble than he can handle someday, Jesse Duke. You mark my words."**

**At this point, Jesse was really wishing that his brother had brought Jeb instead of his sister in law**, but he bit his tongue, "Pauline, Luke is NOT the first Duke to spend a night in jail. I'll remind you that my brother, your husband, and Jeb's father has had to call me to come get him more than ONCE from the Iron Bar Hotel."

Pauline blushed beet red, **"Jesse, I'll not have you changing the subject to avoid addressing the important thing here, which is Luke," she said, eager NOT to talk about her husband's wild younger days. **

Jesse seen her discomfort, "Now Pauline, you knew when you married my brother that he, nor none of us Dukes were Saints. So, why do you act like we should be Saints now?"

**Pauline shook her head. It was true. And when she was a younger woman, it had been those wild ways that had attracted her. But Luke was just a boy. He should be being protected, and kept from this kind of trouble as much as possible. Shaking her head, she stated once again, "I'm going to talk to Luke."** She headed out past Jesse before he could try to talk her out of seeing Luke.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Outside, Jeb couldn't contain himself any longer, "Alright. GIVE!"

Bo began, **"Luke's in the poky!" He shook his head. "That dang Ralph Green wrecked his own dang car and started a fight with Luke... And ol' Rosco showed up just in time to catch 'em in the middle of it."**

**Jeb had been around Hazzard enough to know good and well who both Ralph and Rosco were, and to know the bad blood between Ralph and Luke**. "Ah, man! How could he be that lucky?"

Bo frowned, "He's not without being called. He had the call about them racin'."

**"Good grief," Jeb groaned, shaking his head. "When they was handin' out good luck, Luke musta missed it."**

"He was behind all us other Dukes." Bo said.

Daisy nodded in agreement.

**Jeb looked up just in time to see his mother walk out the door. Bo and Daisy had told him what had happened, and Jeb whistled low. "I wouldn't trade places with Luke right now for BOTH of the Miller twins." The Miller twins being Placid County's equivalent of the Johnson twins.**

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

**Luke was lying on his cot when he heard a voice upstairs that he would've known anywhere say, "Now, Rosco Coltrane, you best let me down to that cell right now!"**

**"But, Miz Pauline, it ain't visitin' hours..." Luke heard Rosco say.**

**"I don't care one way or another, either you let me in there, or I'll just have to have a word with your mother."**

**Luke groaned, knowing how Rosco felt about having his mother mad at him... Not to mention the fact that Rosco's mama and Pauline's were first cousins, and he knew that Pauline had some pull where his mother was concerned. **Luke squared his shoulders, straightened his back, checked his tounge and prepared himself to greet his aunt. He would have welcomed a visit from any other aunt much more than one from Pauline at this point. He took a deep breath and waited, ...

**Pauline walked down the stairs, a disapproving glare on her face.**

**Luke forced a welcoming look. "Hey, there, Aunt Pauline," he said, trying to avoid the talking to he knew was coming.**

She began even before Peggy could open the gate for her, "Lucas DUKE! I happen to KNOW that you have been taught better, ..."

Luke held the curse words he wanted to say. **"Aunt..."**

**She didn't even let him get started. "You've been raised by a good man, Luke, and this is how you repay him? Spending time in JAIL?"**

Luke promptly looked at his socked feet in the orange flip flops that he had been provided.

**"Luke, do you have ANY idea what this is doing to your family name in Hazzard County? You're a Duke. Take a little PRIDE in that!"**

**Even Peggy felt sorry for Luke at the moment.**

Luke gulped. He really felt for Jeb havin' to put up with her on a daily basis, "Aunt Pauline, I DO take pride in being a Duke. That is why I wouldn't stand to be called a cheat in a fair race. Especially when I helped get him out of the ditch that he tried to stick ME into."

**Pauline's eyebrows shot up. Luke's reply was calculated, but respectful, so she couldn't call him out for disrespect. That annoyed her more than his disrespect would have. She looked at him pointedly. "You can talk when I have finished, Luke."**

Jesse had made it to the bottom of the stairs after parking the truck just in time to hear the last bit of Luke's reply to his aunt. Jesse didn't like his tone at all and gave him a look as Pauline dressed him down.

Luke locked his jaw in order to keep his mouth shut. Bars or not, he knew Jesse could and would shut it for him if he opened it again before Paulline had her say.

**Pauline glanced up at Jesse. "I was just telling Luke here just exactly what a mess he's making of his life."**

Jesse had dealt with the woman for years, every since his youngest brother started dating her. She had been a overbearing then and had only managed to get worse through out the years. Jesse simply nodded in agreement with her comment.

Luke inwardly swore. He knew that only left the door open for Pauline to continue which she did ...

"I have NEVER understood the obsession that you boys and even John David and Jesse have with fast cars and the need to see who is the fastest! Lordy, I can remember when I first laid eyes on John David, he had this old 58 Chrysler and it seemed he had to try to out run everything on the road. Can you believe that he even had a name for that thing? Never could figure out why he called it Traveler cause he never went any farther than here in the County."

**Luke immediately looked at Jesse, who gave him a sharp look. Luke had never known that Aunt Pauline wasn't "in on" the family business.**

Pauline continued, "Even after we married and moved to Placid County he didn't want to part with that old car. He even used to slip back over here from time to time just to make sure it could still out run his friends, ..."

Luke had heard some stories about that car. Hoping to change the subject, Luke jumped in while she took a breath, "Was that the car that they got at the auction at the Mason's Lodge?"

"Now just you don't worry about a car. I don't even know where he got it. But all that racin' around like his tail was on fire only got the nice policemen watching that car every time it moved. He wouldn't even let me drive it. That is why we moved don't ya know. Now surely you want to meet a nice girl and settle down now that you are out of school. But, nice girls don't like such Tom foolery as you have been up to. Good Lord, I couldn't imagine what would have happened if my Father, God rest his soul, would have done if he'd ever heard of John David getting into a fight, or drinking and heaven forbid if he was EVER arrested." Pauline declared.

Luke gave Jesse a look. He had heard Jesse and his Uncle John telling stories from the 'good ole days' but it seemed to him that Pauline had been left a bit in the dark. Of course with a mouth like hers he could see why. Then too, he felt she may have been changing the truth a bit to benefit her or himself, to keep him from knowing the truth of the business that he already knew, but couldn't call her on it right now.

**Luke and Jesse shared a look, but didn't let Pauline see. Which wasn't too hard, since she was far more concerned with fussing at Luke than actually paying attention to him. "Lukas, how could you do this to your family?" she said.**

**That was the final straw. Now Jesse's feathers were ruffled a bit too much.**

Jesse took a breath and tried to have restraint as he began to dress down his younger brothers wife. "Now Pauline, I'll give ya your Daddy may not have known a lot of what went on, but surely you did. I can NOT count the times on BOTH hands that I've had to go get John from right here in that there cell after he'd shown himself the night before. JUST so your Daddy wouldn't find out. So don't go gettin' all righteous on MY boy!"

Behind Jesse and Pauline, Bo and Jeb gave each other a look. They had heard some of the stories but had never seen Jesse talk like that to Pauline.

Luke hadn't either, and regretted that he was the cause of it now, but surely she shouldn't act so if she knew better.

**Pauline's mouth snapped shut in pure shock at Jesse's outburst.**

**Luke, too, was in shock. He'd never seen anyone shut Pauline up so quick.**

"Well! Jesse Duke I've never in all my life!" She stormed over to gate to be let out, then stomped up the steps.

The three Duke boys nearly couldn't contain their laughter until they saw the look Jesse shot them.

**"Y'all just listen JUST a minute!" he exclaimed. "Pauline may have been out of line, but y'all best respect her just the same."**

Luke had the good sense to give the other boys a look. He truly felt bad about whole situation but seeing Pauline get it from Jesse was nearly worth the trouble he was in. He asked Jesse, "So was the car she was talking about the one that came from the auction?"

Jesse nodded, "Yes it was."

"I know I've heard the story before, ..." Luke paused to think of how to say this in front of the law without giving too much information.

Jeb was looking interested. He'd never heard the story before.

"Didn't it come from a Sheriff's department?" Luke asked.

Jesse frowned at Luke, he didn't want to get into this story here. "Yes, it actually still had the 'Johnson County Sheriff' still painted on the sides. But, this will have to wait since it's about time for us to go."

This was enough information to get Bo and Jeb real curious. As Peggy came over and told them time was up.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

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	24. Duke History

Chapter 24

Outside the jail, Pauline was waiting for Jeb beside her car. "Jeb, Darlin' I'm beginning to think that your staying isn't such a good idea."

Jeb started to protest but was cut off by Jesse. "Pauline this has been arranged for sometime now. Don't make me call John on this or air the Duke past right here on Main Street. I am sure that you remember John when he was Luke's age. Nothing that anyone could tell him would have stopped him from trying to prove that he knew more than us older ones who had already been there." he motioned to Jeb and Bo, "Just like these two. I can ride heard on them now, but once they reach that magic age of eighteen they too will think they don't have to listen anymore. It is a stage Luke is going through and these two, not matter what they see him go through, or are kept from knowing, will think they can do it just a might different and not get into trouble. So Jeb is going to stay here and help out on the farm and be a teenager."

Pauline had heard Jesse loud and clear about calling her husband, John David. She knew that he would agree with Jesse, yet it was hard to leave Jeb for the entire summer. "Alright, but I expect you to call me and I'll be checking in on you more than I usually do."

Jeb promptly said, "Yes, Ma'am."

After the goodbyes were said, Pauline got in the big car and headed toward Placid County. Jeb waited until she had rounded the turn in town square before he let out the breath that he had been holding since he'd found out Luke was in jail. He had been sure that his mother would not be lettin' him stay with his Uncle Jesse. Now if he and Bo could just figure out why she let him stay. Being younger than Luke there were several stories they had either not been privileged to hear or had been too busy to listen when they had been told.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Luke watched the family meet outside the courthouse. He was relieved when he saw his aunt Pauline drive off without Jeb. He'd hated to think that she didn't let Jeb spend the summer with them because of his actions. He was sure that Jesse had something to do to influence her letting Jeb stay. Luke was now thinking about how fast his situation would be spread to Dukes far and wide. He silently swore at the thoughts of dealing with the concerned family members whom he knew would be calling to find out the 'rest of the story'. Luke's thoughts, then went to the more immediate situation. He knew from talking to Peggy that he was in deep with the Judge. Trouble was just how deep was he in with the toughest Judge in the Tri-Counties and likely the next few states. Ralph still had not been moved back down stairs as Luke looked around at the small cell securely surrounded by the thick bars. Trouble was he considered himself one of the strongest in his bunch but knew that his strengthwas no match for cold hard steel that stood between him and his freedom, besides there is no way Jesse would allow anything different, knowing that Luke had messed up. Luke could only hope that Peggy heard enough of Ralph's egging to at least show that he'd not jumped without being provoked. Yet, Luke didn't think the Judge would understand his actions no matter how much provocation he'd had from Ralph. The summer afternoon was hot as he turned back to the window to see that his family had already went on about their normal routine without him, just like all his friends had. Luke knew visitation was limited and all but mail wasn't. Luke thought of the number of 'friends' he'd had just a few short days ago, yet he hadn't heard a word from most of them. Other than his family and Cooter, Luke was pretty sure that all his 'friends' were going right along with their own lives and never though twice about him. Thinking of Cooter he remembered the magazine he'd been slipped. With nothing else to do he may as well enjoy the view the additions had to offer. Taking the magazine out, Luke positioned himself to where it appeared he was looking at a 4x4 magazine.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Now back at the Duke farm it surely didn't take long for the boys to start asking questions about the Duke past.

**"Uncle Jesse, what were you talkin' about?" asked Bo. He knew some stories about their past, but certainly not all of it, and this sounded more than interesting to the young Duke.**

**Jeb looked at his Uncle. "My daddy spent time in jail?" he asked, eyes round as saucers.**

Jesse sighed, "Boys, ... I don't want to glorify things or anything like that, but we Dukes have always had a stubborn bone in our bodies. Seems that between the ages of 16 and twenty-one we all go a bit off the 'deep end'." Jesse paused, "And Jeb, ... your mother knows more about this than she seems to wants to admit..."

**Jeb was excited to hear some of the family secrets. Pauline had always kept a "gag order" on John David about the past. "I always asked Daddy about growin' up in Hazzard, and he never would tell me much."**

Jesse began, "First of all, Jeb, your father was the youngest of all our family. I, as you know, was the oldest. No matter how much that I tried to convince him or the others that they did not know everything that there was to know, the more they thought they knew much more than me. As your mother told ya'll, he had a car that could out run about anything in the tri-counties. ... As Luke asked, it was one that we got from the Mason Lodge's auction. It still had Johnson County Sheriff painted on the side..."

**Bo grinned. "Uncle John raced an old Sheriff's car? Bet THAT sure made the county mad!"**

**Jesse turned to look at the young man, shaking his head, imagining that THIS one would be a handful, too. "Do you want to hear this story?" Jesse asked.**

**Bo's mouth shut quickly and he looked at his uncle, suddenly very quiet.**

Jesse began a limited account of a few events as he knew he'd be repeating them for all the others in detail once Luke was home. "We heard about an auction down at the Mason's Lodge. All the proceeds were going to charity so we decided to check this out. Pauline is right, she didn't know where the car came from. It was before they got together and as appalled as she seemed at the memories, I think it was actually the fast car that made her give your Daddy a second look," Jesse told Jeb.

At that piece of information, Jeb looked totally surprised and got even more interested.

Bo laughed at Jeb's reaction and the thought of his uppity aunt.

Jesse continued, "We had made an extra dollar or two on some good runs and was looking for another runner, but we never expected to find a car like **that**, let alone at such a good price. Well, now after we got that car home the first thing we had to do was shoot a coat of primer then John and I tore it down and rebuilt that engine from the ground up. It wasn't hurt, but we added a few touches."

Bo being a bit older than Jeb, remembered the car, but hadn't heard where it had came from, "I'll say they did! I can still remember the rattling sound of the windows when Uncle John would reeve it up!"

Jeb still wondered, "So what about jail? Did Dad ever go to jail?"

Jesse knew there was no way to dodge that direct of question, but he held his hand up to make sure that he was heard all the way out, "Yes, he did. As your mother said the fact that he could out run about anything on the road on a daily basis and the fact that we had gotten our hands on a 'police car' had surely not set right from everyone from the local law right on up to the revenuers and ATF."

"Revenuers and ATF? You surely don't mean that Daddy ran shine with ya'll?" Jeb asked in total disbelief.

Jesse frowned in frustration. "Moonshining has always been a **family **business for over two hundred years. It's not just something you do on occasion it has been something we've done out of tradition as well as need. The farm can only pull in so much income and if you have a bad year, ... we've had to have something to fall back on. Son, all those times your mother thought he was over here racin', he was with us running shine. That is how he made the extra money to keep her in the finer things that she insisted on having."

"So did Mom know this?" Jeb asked.

"There are **somethings**your mother never wanted to know. Besides, after she convinced your Dad to move to Placid County away from the rest of us, mostly, she figured that she had him right where she wanted him. Under her thumb. But, your Daddy is a lot more Duke than she cares to admit." Jesse said simply and thought of the powerful car that Pauline herself had driven here. It may have been a 'luxury car' but there was no doubt that John hadn't made sure it had the maximum horses under the hood just in case they were needed. Jesse continued, "So, every time they could box John in they did so, just to search the car sure that he had a load of shine. When they turned up empty, he was booked for everything from speeding, up, trying to get their hands on that car." Jesse sighed, in for a ounce, in for a pound, "And there was a time that he was known to show himself up town. All this really amounted to is he'd be picked up and call me to come get him. Hazzard has most always been more interested in a stiff fine than locking someone up, but John has had 'a smack on the wrist', ... about like Luke is getting now, a time, ... or three." Jesse seen the look pass between his nephews and added, "And no, he and Luke are not the only Dukes ever to have been on the other side of the bars for one reason or another.

01~~~~~~~~~01

As Vector426, pointed out I have used some lines and ideas from Steve Earl's Copperhead Road. Also, some information from another TV movie that inspired the DOH. Just a bit of Trivia I'll mention to see if anyone spots it.


	25. Raisin' Temperatures and Tempers!

I hope Everyone had a Merry Christmas and will have a great New Year! Thanks again to Bethie88 for all the text in 'bold' print.

Chapter 25

**Tuesday morning, Jesse got the whole family together for visiting hours at the jail. He hoped that this would serve as a warning to the younger boys to stay out of trouble, though he sincerely doubted it. **They had stopped at the garage before heading over to see Luke.

Cooter said, "If ya'll let me see what this customer wants I'll run over and see Luke with ya'll." He headed out to the car. "What can I do for you?"

Ruby turned to Cooter, "Just ten in gas, Cooter. How have you been?"

"I've been good." He said as he began pumping her gas.

"Say you ain't seen Luke around have you?" Ruby asked.

Cooter knew that Ruby had been Luke's on again off again playmate when he and Robin were at odds and he guessed they were about as at odds right now as they could get. "Well I was just getting ready to go over with Uncle Mister Jesse and the boys to see him."

"Over to see him?" Ruby asked.

Cooter nodded, "Yeah, you do know he's in jail right?"

"No I didn't. Why?" Ruby asked with concern.

"Weren't you up at the lake the night they were all racing?" Cooter thought sure that she had been.

"Yeah, but I left pretty early. Then after school was out I went out of town." Ruby explained.

"So you didn't know that him and Ralph got into it just before Rosco showed up?" Cooter asked.

"I must have been gone before then. I sorta heard something about them getting into it but not about Rosco. Surely he didn't get into that much trouble." Ruby said.

"Surely he did, but he should be home tomorrow. Just don't plan on him drivin' ya anywhere for awhile." Cooter said.

"Awhile?" Ruby asked.

Cooter nodded, "At least a couple weeks or so."

"Do you think Mr. Duke would mind if I went with ya'll to see Luke?" Ruby asked.

Cooter replied as he finished pumping the gas, "I don't think so but come on and we'll ask.

Jesse looked up to see the young lady following Cooter back into the garage. He knew what was coming even before Cooter opened his mouth.

"Uncle Mister Jesse, ..." Cooter was cut off.

"I ain't your uncle Cooter." Jesse said.

"Yeah, right, Mr. Duke, Ruby was wondering if you'd mind if she went with us to see Luke?" Cooter finished.

Jesse saw no polite way to say no to the girl, but he'd had rather seen Luke with just the family. He figured tomorrow would be time enough for the family and replied as he held in the sigh, "I suppose that will be fine."

**Jesse and the two younger Duke boys were the first to walk into the downstairs room. They were followed by Cooter and Ruby. **

**"Hey, y'a..." Luke said, choking halfway through the word when he saw Ruby**.

**The girl looked at him with a smirk. She knew that she had his attention. And for any red blooded American man, it was plain to see why. She was wearing a pair of jeans that fit just a little too tight, and a crimson red top that was cut just a little lower than proper.**

**Luke's jaw dropped, and he looked her up and down. "U...Uncle Jesse, everybody..." he said, by way of greeting, hoping like heck that no one saw him with his mouth hanging open. **Trouble was it was not just Luke's mouth that betrayed him. His eye's were locked on Ruby, which caused other body parts to react. His mind also went into gear as to what it could and would do had the three quarter of inch steel bars not have been confining him to the cell.

In the mean time, Ralph who had just that morning been moved back downstairs, was looking Ruby up and down.

**While Luke was distracted by Ruby, the rest were concerned with Luke.**

Ruby stepped up to the bars close enough for only Luke to hear, "Sugar it sure is ashamed that you are all locked up here. I really could show you a time otherwise."

Luke looked at Jesse hoping that he hadn't heard what Ruby had said. As far as he could tell Jesse hadn't heard a thing. Luke managed to get out, "It's only a few hours now. I hope at least."

"A few HOURS." Ruby repeated. "I've seen ya ready to explode after only a few minutes."

Luke nearly turned purple and hoped that Jesse hadn't heard Ruby.

**If Jesse had heard Ruby's comment, he was good enough not to show it. Luke was somewhat relieved, but still really wished she hadn't come. It was more than a little uncomfortable.**

Ruby asked, "What do you mean you hope that it's only a few hours?"

**Luke glanced at Ruby, shaking his head a little at her to let her know that now wasn't the time to talk about it.**

**Ruby raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean, Luke?"**

**Luke groaned, not wanting to talk about this in front of Bo and Jeb. "There was a little problem here last weekend, and I've got to talk to the judge about it before I can leave." **Luke rubbed the back of his neck knowing his cousins were paying more attention to the conversation than he'd had liked.

Jeb looked from Luke to Jesse for an explanation, while Bo **shouted out, "What in the world, Luke? You been in this dang jail too long already! Why ain't you gettin' out on time?"**

Luke sighed. He had hoped that Jesse would have at least told Bo something so he wouldn't have to find this out here and now. "I didn't say that I wasn't coming home tomorrow, Bo. I just said I have to talk to the Judge first." Luke looked to Jesse for help.

**Jesse glanced at his younger nephew. "That's enough, Bo."**

**This was exactly why he hadn't wanted Ruby here. This was something that only family and close friends should be there for.**

Bo being Bo said, "But Uncle Jesse, I just wanted to know, ..."

Jesse gave Luke a reassuring look, "I'll tell you about it at home Bo."

Ruby was still standing close to the bars and being that she was a might shorter than Luke, he had a real good view.

**"I don't know if I can wait much longer, Luke," Ruby said, looking up at him with a very falsely innocent look.**

**"I'll be callin' ya as soon as I get out," he said softly. "That is if Uncle Jesse don't hang me first."**

**Bo was extremely put off by Ruby taking all of their visiting time with Luke. He wanted to talk to his cousin, and he wasn't fond of this girl messing things up.**

Jesse saw Ruby and Luke talking in obvious hushed tones, Jesse decided to leave the young to their youth. "Luke we'll just be gettin' back to the farm now. I'm sure we'll be by tomorrow."

Bo said, "But Uncle Jesse."

Jesse motioned for Jeb to move out hoping Bo would follow.

**Bo started to protest, but a stern look from Jesse was enough to shut even him up at the moment.**

Jesse and the others moved to the gate for Deputy Petticord to open it. Even Cooter took the hint and went with them.

Luke wanted to object as they headed up the steps, but felt Ruby's hand caressing his own hand. All Luke could say was, "Yeah. See ya'll then."

Ruby dropped her hand lower, "About that call."

Luke gritted his teeth, turned so that Ralph couldn't see Ruby's hand. He knew he should back away but there was no way to convience his body of that as he leaned closer to Ruby.

For the next several minutes** Luke's eyes were shut, but he jerked away quickly when he heard the gate to the room open. **

**"Ms. Ruby, you're gonna have to leave," said Rosco.**

**"Time's up," Ralph taunted, laughing at Luke, who was decidedly less comfortable than before.**

Luke swore to himself. He knew that only a few seconds more of Ruby's touch would have driven him to ecstasy. She had already pulled her hand away from him as Rosco had spoken. Luke tried to get a grip on his feelings but his body betrayed him, wanting and needing more of Ruby's touch. It was as if Rosco had thrown ice water on him from head to toe.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Back at the farm, Bo's feet wasn't on the ground a full second when he said, "What's going on with Luke? And why didn't you tell me before?"

Jeb was all ears too waiting for Jesse to tell Bo what was going on.

Daisy came out of the house to see the tension in the front yard, "What on Earth is wrong?"

Knowing that even the wooded area of the Duke farm occasionally had unwanted eyes and ears, Jesse replied. "Let's go in the house." He may as well set them down and tell them now if he had even the slimiest chance of getting any work out of the three today.

With Pauline and Jeb there, Daisy had managed to get out of going to the jail since Saturday when Luke and Ralph had gotten into it.

Jesse was the only one that had a clue something was a miss at the jail as Luke had called him back for a couple private minutes on the Sunday that Pauline had visited. So while Pauline was trying to think of a way to not let Jeb stay, Luke had told Jesse that he and Ralph had some 'problems' which was why Ralph was upstairs. Unfortunately, that is about all the time Luke had to go into detail. Then, yesterday Jeb, Bo and Luke had spent the time catching up. Jesse wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on since Ralph was still upstairs, but Luke hadn't opened up to any of them the entire time he'd been there like he was now. Jesse had bi-dded his time, knowing Luke would tell him soon enough. Now, here was Tuesday and what happened but that young girl that Jesse knew Lavinia would have surely labeled a trollop had tagged along. Jesse didn't approve of Luke's relationship, whatever that may be, with the girl, but knew opposing it would only make Luke see her that much more. He also knew Bo was upset that Luke had paid the girl so much attention and that Luke had let her take up most of the visitation time. As for himself, Jesse didn't talk family business around those who were not family, if not by blood, but by actions. Jesse, himself, had been surprised to hear that Luke had to see the Judge before being released tomorrow, which just might not prove to be a good thing. Obviously Luke was thinking along those lines too when he said he 'hoped' to be out in what was now a few hours compared to the previous eight days that he had been there. Jesse tried to tell the 'kids' what he knew for sure, he'd leave out as much as he could about what he figured would happen, "As you know, I haven't talked to Luke more than a couple minutes since Sunday alone. While you two went out after Pauline, Luke called me back and had just enough time to tell me that he and Ralph had some problems and that is why Ralph had been moved up stairs. I'm sure you can see why he didn't want to go into this with Pauline there. Then Monday, with Ralph upstairs, Luke could be more open to you two and I let you all catch up, figuring that I'd talk to him today..."

"Yeah, well, no one got to talk to him today except for Ruby!" He pouted like he was closer to twelve than sixteen.

Daisy frowned, "Ruby? Wait. I missed something here."

Jesse replied, "I'll get to that later. But, I knew better than to try to talk to Luke today. All I know is what you two know, he said he'd have to talk to the Judge before being released."

"No, he said before he 'HOPED' to get out." Bo said.

Jesse wished he'd listened to his teachers that well. "Yes, he did." Jesse stood corrected. "Look kids I dont' know what happened, but Judge Hardcastle could have stuck it to Luke and didn't. Now depending on what happened and who is at fault. He just may not be so understanding this time."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Happy New Year! Here is the definition of an older word that my grandmother used a lot, so it may not be familiar to younger readers. Please review.

***** Trollop - Per encarta dictionary

Definition: 1. an offensive term that deliberately insults a woman who is a prostitute or who is reputed to be sexually promiscuous ( dated insult )

2. an offensive term that deliberately insults a girl or woman regarded as slovenly or as having untidy habits ( insult )


	26. Facin' the Judge Again

Thanks for all the reviews and your time in reading. Also Thanks to Bethie88 for her additions in bold print.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 26

In Luke's absence and Bo's broken wrist, the Duke farm had fallen into a not quite normal morning routine of Daisy cooking breakfast, Bo doing the lighter chores or at least the ones he could do mostly one handed, while Jeb and Jesse did the harder ones. It wasn't that the older man couldn't still do them, but for the past few years with strong healthy boys, he hadn't had to do them. It did the older man good to know he could still cut the mustard, but made Bo feel bad that his uncle had to pull part of his weight when Bo himself should be pulling Luke's load. Even with Jeb there it still wasn't the same.

With chores done and breakfast on the table, Jeb, Bo and Jesse cleaned up and headed to the table. Jesse said grace and they all began filling their plates. Bo mumbled under his breath. It seemed even a simple task of filling his plate wasn't easy with his left hand and minimal use of his casted right hand.

**"Uncle Jesse, when are we goin' to pick Luke up?" Bo asked, looking up at his uncle. Having Luke home, despite the fact that it wouldn't heal his hand, seemed like it would fix everything in Bo's mind.**

**"WE ain't goin' nowhere," Jesse said simply. "I'm going to go have a talk with Luke this morning." **Jesse paused, then continued, "Before he sees the Judge to find out just what went on with him the other young fella. AND, I intend to do it without interruptions."

**"But, Uncle Jesse, I aim to be there when we go to get him... I already didn't get to talk to him last time cuz of dadgum Ruby. And I'll be doggoned if I gotta miss it again!" Bo's blue eyes shone with indignation.**

Daisy bite her lip. She wished Bo would learn to hold his tongue before letting it get his behind in trouble.

Jeb had heard about Bo not listening to Jesse when Luke was first arrested. He surely didn't want to end up in the woodshed this trip, so he wisely kept eating.

Jesse appeared more calm than he likely was as he took a sip of coffee. "Beauregard, ... At this point, we are not even sure IF Luke will be home today. But, if that is still a possibility I need to find out what happened so that I can try to talk to the Judge or do something."

**Bo really should've learned to know his uncle's tone at this point, but he was young and hotheaded, and his first response was to keep talking. "Uncle Jesse, I need to be there. You gotta understand..."**

Jesse replied, "I DO understand. I am going. YOU are not!" Jesse said with a far harser tone than may have been necessary.

**Bo blinked, suddenly falling quiet. "Yessir," he said, looking down in shame.**

Jesse let out the breath he had held since this conversation began, glad that he would not have to deal with Bo any further. "Son, I understand your's and Luke's bond with each other. Really I do. But you got to understand that there are times like this that I may be able to call in a favor or two if I know what is going on. You'll learn when you have been around this county and the business long enough, you make some strange friends, but they's just may not want to be known as your friend to the public or a 'wet behind the ear kid'."

**Bo's face showed his hurt at being called 'wet behind the ears', but he did understand Jesse's point. And if it could get Luke out of jail sooner, that was the most important thing. "Yes, sir, Uncle Jesse," he mumbled quietly. "I understand."**

Jesse added, "I may not see you boys as 'wet behind the ears', but there are those that do. So rather than ruffle there feathers, sometimes it is best to let me handle such matters."

**Bo started to open his mouth to explain that he really wanted to help, too, when Daisy spoke up. "Well, Bo, could you help me with these dishes? Then I'll help you with the outside chores."**

Jesse gave Daisy a grateful looked as she started picking up the dishes.

Jeb was just glad that he wasn't in Bo's shoes.

Bo fumed, "Yeah, I can what, put them up one handed? Ain't like there is a lot of chores we can do even together that needs done outside either." Yes, there was a lot of busy work they could get done, but not the serious stuff. For that, they would need Luke or Jesse or both, as Jeb never really got the hang of some of the farm chores.

**Daisy shrugged. "I need to hang out clothes. You can carry the buckets with your good arm... And hand me the clothes to put on the line. Besides, you can rinse dishes one handed."**

Jesse gave Daisy a smile of thanks, "Well, I best be getting on to see Luke." He turned to Bo, "I'll do everything I can to have him with me when I get back."

**Bo lowered his head respectfully. "Yes, sir, Uncle Jesse." He wasn't keen on the idea of ending up with a sore behind later.**

Jeb, Daisy and Bo watched as Jesse pulled away from the farm in the old pickup truck.

Daisy said, "I'm glad you came to your senses when you did. You were really pushing him, you know?"

**Bo nodded. "I know. I'm just sick and tired of being treated like a little kid," he grumbled.**

"Oh Sugar, we'll all get our chance to grow up. At least Jesse and Luke let you make runs with them. I'm hardly allowed at the stills and you know I can carry my own weight." Daisy replied.

**"I reckon," Bo said, shrugging. "But it sure ain't makin' me feel no better about it."**

"Come on, let's get busy. You don't want Luke to skin your hide when he gets here do you?" Daisy said hopefully.

Jeb added, "She has a point there Cuz. They have really let you go with them on runs?"

**Bo nodded, halfheartedly going to work**.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse arrived at the jail house early and met Rosco who was leaving after his night with Luke and Ralph at the jail. "Rosco I want to see my boy and I'm not takin' no for an answer. I want to hear from him just exactly has been going on here."

**Rosco wasn't one to say no to Jesse Duke when he used THAT tone. The two of them walked down to the lower level, where Luke didn't look quite as pleased as usual to see his Uncle.**

**"Hey, Uncle Jesse," Luke said, his tone a little TOO friendly.**

Jesse was let through the gate by Peggy who was currently on duty. Jesse made his way to the farthest side of the cell away from the Green fella. Jesse said in a low tone, "Luke. I want to know why you need to see the Judge before you are released at noon as scheduled."

There it was. Jesse had went straight for the 'kill'. Luke knew that there was nothing he could say in his own defense to get Jesse to understand. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to think of what to say...

**Before Luke was able to speak, Jesse said, "Now confound it, Luke Duke, you best get to talkin' in a hurry."**

**"Uncle Jesse," he began slowly. "This here ain't real easy to say in present company..."**

**Jesse's expression told Luke plainly that he wasn't getting off that easy.**

**Luke finally spoke up. "Somebody made some hateful comments about my family, and I ain't never been taught to let folks talk that way."**

Jesse looked from Luke to the young man in the cell beside Luke who appeared to be asleep, which Jesse doubted. He waited for Luke to continue.

"So I, ..." Luke knew no matter how he put this he was admitting he was wrong, but he was trying not to give Ralph any credit in the situation either. "Took care of the matter."

**Jesse's eyebrows rose as he looked at the boy. "Just how exactly did you 'take care of the matter,' Luke?"**

**Luke looked down at his feet. "I... uh... I..." He was at a loss for words, as he felt his Uncle's gaze burning a hole into him.** "I think I changed his attitude a bit." Luke said quietly.

**Jesse wasn't going to be put off that easily. "And just how did you do that?" he demanded.**

Luke looked at his feet again before saying, "I'd taken all I could take and I, ... rang his bell."

**Had Jesse not been so angry, he might have been tempted to smile at that, but as it was, he was NOT amused in the slightest. "Lucas Duke, you did WHAT?" **

Luke ducked at the sound of his Uncle's raised voice. At the moment he was glad the bars were between him and his Uncle Jesse.

"Have you lost all your senses or do you just like being here? You are standing dressed like a danged pumpkin when you should be at home working. Have you forgotten that you are here because of a fight? SO what do you do, but start another one here!" Jesse was on a roll.

Luke saw an opening, "Now, Jesse it's not like that at all."

**Jesse was still in no mood to be messed with. "Then WHAT exactly WAS it like?"**

**Luke stepped back from the bars as if afraid that his uncle would step closer to the bars and grab him through them to ring his neck.** "He was talking smut talk about Daisy." The next sentence just leaped out of his mouth, "Not to mention how he talked to Rob..." The rest of the sentence was left hanging.

**Jesse was stunned. "He talked just HOW about Daisy?" Now his eyes were turned to Ralph.**

Luke shook his head 'no', "Never mind that I took care of it and if he comes anywhere near her I'll be back here."

**Jesse nodded slowly, starting to understand what had happened, and suddenly not so angry with Luke anymore.** "If I don't know what happened there isn't anything I can do about it." Jesse said much more calmly.

Luke squared his shoulders, "Uncle Jesse, there's not gonna be anything you can do about it this time. I jumped in with both feet. Peggy heard some of what was being said." Luke shrugged his shoulders. He really wanted to think that he'd be going home with his uncle, but the more he thought about what happened and how it looked to the officers and the judge. Luke knew he would be setting himself up to be highly disappointed if he actually let himself believe he was going home today. He just hoped the judge saw fit NOT to give him the rest of the sentence that he could have gotten to begin with. For the first time since he'd lay-ed hands on Ralph did that possibility cross Luke's mind. Or what if they brought up more charges?

**Jesse shook his head slowly. "Luke, I don't know if there's any way to get you out of this now... I'll do my best for ya, boy, but you may have pushed it too far this time."**

**Luke shook his head, frustrated with the fact that his uncle was so right.**

Jesse added, "You know Judge Hardcastle doesn't play. He could very well make you do the 12 months instead of the ten days."

Luke nodded, "Yeah. I thought of that after I'd already grabbed him." He didn't want to admit to Jesse that the thought had only just now started forming in his mind.

**Jesse shook his head as he turned to leave, stopping to talk to Peggy as he went out the door. When she confirmed as much of Luke's story as she was able to, Jesse didn't know whether to be proud of Luke or kill him.**

Peggy added, "Mr. Duke Luke let himself be baited and he took it, hook, line and sinker. I did hear some of what Mr. Green said. I put it in my report to the Judge. I can't and won't uphold Luke's actions in anyway, but I can see him being very angry."

Jesse said lowly so as to not give the Green fella any ideas, "Are there any other charges against Luke?"

"If you mean from Mr. Green, no." Peggy paused, "I had a job to do and the judge walked in on the incident, so he has a full report from me."

Jesse replied as he headed up the stairs to wait for the Judge to call Luke. "I understand."

01~~~~~~~~01

It was nearly noon and as much as Luke tried not to let his nerves get the best of him it wasn't working at all. He would have felt better walking around, but there wasn't a lot of room to walk in the small cell and Luke refused to give Ralph the satisfaction of letting him see him pace the floor.

Rosco came downstairs freshly showed and shaved with Deputy Petticord. Once the gate was secured, Rosco had Peggy open Ralph's cell. "Alright, Green. The Judge is waiting."

Peggy added, "Just as soon as we get you all dressed up here you can go." She was holding not just handcuffs but the leg irons too.

**Ralph smirked at Luke as he walked by. "See ya in a few months when they let you outta here," he said as he walked away.**

Luke bit his tongue to keep his mouth shut. He knew Ralph could very well be right. He didn't like it but he knew the Judge could do it.

Ralph attempted to take a normal bold step, only to have the chain of the leg iron tighten nearly tripping him.

Had it not have been for Peggy and Rosco he would have fallen flat on his face even though they had cuffed him in the front.

**Luke smirked as the other boy tripped. "Yep. See ya then, if you manage not to kill yourself first with those leg irons." With that, he gave a hearty laugh before he sat down.**

Peggy shot Luke a look that warned him as she, Rosco and Ralph started up the stairs to see Judge Hardcastle.

With only Deputy Petticord reading something at the desk, Luke couldn't stay seated any longer as he got up and began to pace as the thoughts of not going home today sunk in and with that what it would do to his family, especially Bo. Even with Jeb there, he knew things would still go undone until he got there, not to mention the runs that Jesse was likely making alone.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

In the Courtroom, the Judge was already seated and waiting for Ralph. He had Peggy's incident reports in front of him. He began as soon as Ralph was brought before him, "Mr. Green I have before me two incident reports in which you are involved. The first is attached to a pornographic magazine. I don't really care how you got it or where it came from. Did you in fact have it in your possession?"

**"Judge, if Peggy said so, I'm sure we can all agree SHE ain't wrong"? **Ralph fumed. "Women never are wrong anyway are they?"

Judge Hardcastle looked down at Ralph, giving him a hard look. Then, looked at Rosco, "That is good enough for me. Sheriff take **MR.** Green to the witness room."

As Rosco escorted Ralph to the witness room, Peggy was directed to bring Luke up.

Luke was in mid pace when he heard foot steps on the stairs. He turned to see Peggy waiting to be let in the gate by Deputy Petticord. She went to the cabinet and got a second set of leg irons and hand cuffs. She then motioned for Deputy Petticord to open Luke's cell.

Peggy instructed, "Luke come out and turn around so I can get these on you so we can go see the Judge."

Luke gritted his teeth hard to avoid saying anything that his mind wanted to say as he complied with the officer.

As the gate was opened, Peggy said, "Now take slow short steps."

Luke nodded. He wasn't very experienced in dealing with the 'jewerly' the officers deemed necessary for him to wear to see the Judge, but was determined NOT to make a 'fool' out of himself, well anymore than he had already. Luke took the first conservative step.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

In the witness room Ralph looked at Rosco, "So what's with being back here? Shouldn't you be taking this stuff off me so I can get out of here it's nearly noon."

Rosco wasn't sure what the Judge was up to, but he felt sure that this young man was not headed for the front door of the courthouse nearly as soon as he thought that he would be. "That will just be up to Judge Hardcastle, now won't it? Kit, kit, kit!" Rosco giggled.

Ralph objected, "Now wait a minute. We're supposed to be released at noon. He can't keep us here longer."

Rosco shrugged, "If you say so."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Peggy and Deputy Petticord escorted Luke upstairs. As Luke stepped into the courtroom he only seen Judge Hardcastle and his Uncle Jesse. He sighed a bit figuring that Rosco was now turning Ralph loose after he'd likely spilled his guts about what had happened downstairs. Luke had never thought that summers lasted long enough but had a feeling that this one was gonna last far longer than any had before.

Judge Hardcastle gave Luke a hard look before beginning, "Mr. Duke, I have before me the incident report from Officer Mitchell AND I was privileged to be with the Sheriff when part of these events occurred. So, do you want to let me in on what happened before I came down the stairs?"

Luke took a deep breath. He didn't want to tell the judge about what he had done, but knew he really didn't have a choice, so he began slowly and tried to choose his words carefully. Luke knew his words to the judge held the key to his freedom, "Judge Hardcastle, Sir, I'm not real proud of my actions. Ralph, ..."

Judge Hardcastle asked, "Mr. Green?"

Luke nodded and corrected himself, "Mr. Green had gotten under my skin with how he'd talked to my, ..." Correcting himself again, "His girlfriend. Then, my cousin, Daisy had come to visit me just before you came in the other day. Daisy was more than a bit over dressed for all this heat," Luke had noticed the room temperature rising as he spoke, "I asked her about it and she said she'd change at work."

Judge Hardcastle waited for Luke to continue.

"After they all left, Mr.," Luke had to work to get the word 'Mr.' to come out, "Green said something about how he would prefer to see Daisy in shorts."

Again the Judge waited.

Luke didn't want to tell the next part, especially with Jesse setting behind him, but the only other option he had was to throw away his freedom, "Then, he more than indicated that her and my relationship was more than cousins."

Jesse Duke stood straight up behind Luke, "He said WHAT!"

Judge Hardcastle banged his gavel, "Order! Now Jesse, just calm down."

Jesse Duke hadn't been that mad in a long time, nor had he ever let himself disrupt a court proceeding like that before. "I'm sorry, Your Honor, but I just didn't expect that."

Hardcastle nodded, "Alright, then. Luke proceed, ..."

Luke wasn't sure he wanted to say anything further because now he'd be putting nails in his own coffin, "Well, Your Honor, my reaction was a bit like my Uncle Jesse's but Mr. Green happened to be in front of my face when he said that. Before I knew what had happened I'd grabbed him and well, ..." Luke hoped he wouldn't have to say anymore.

Judge Hardcastle asked, "Then what happened?"

"I'm sure that I said some very ungentlemanly things as MR." There was that word again. Luke was trying to be respectful, but that word was getting harder and harder to say and Not let it get stuck in his throat, "Green was then talking about the type girls that work at places like the Boar's Nest. Then there was more about a 'good time' and how I likely knew that, ... Judge Hardcastle I can't remember too much after that until after you and the Sheriff and Officer Mitchell had gotten involved. I knew that my actions were out of line and I'm sorry to say, I'd taken all I could take from HIM."

Judge Hardcastle and Jesse Duke went way back. He knew that Jesse and his wife had raised all the kids right and there would never had been anything inappropriate going on with the 'kids'. Judging from Jesse's own reaction, he could see where Luke got it from. Truthfully he even understood the reaction, but legally he couldn't over look it. The law was the law and it had been broken right here in the jail and right before his own eyes. He looked at the clock, it was a couple minutes before noon when the boys were scheduled to be released. Legally he had to do something now, or cut them loose. "Deputy, get the Sheriff and Mr. Green from the witness room."

Deputy Petticord did as he was told.

Luke was a bit surprised to see Ralph still in orange and cuffs.

Ralph thought that he was about to get the last laugh as he smirked at Luke, in expectation of being turned free.

Judge Hardcastle directed, "Sheriff that's far enough." He wanted Luke and Ralph apart for the rest of this proceeding. "Now, that I've read the incident reports, heard from Mr. Green before I heard from Mr. Duke, I can now proceed. As you both know, ... when we all gathered here some ten days ago that I was being MORE than understanding when I sentenced you both to ONLY ten days when it could have been a year. I thought that you could work out your differences, but obviously you can't. So, here's what's going to happen, ... I'm gonna give you both enough rope to hang each other, but if you do, you'll hang yourself out to dry. Since you SEEM to like this lifestyle, we'll handle this the way they do upstate at the pen."

Luke swallowed hard. He wasn't sure what the Judge had in mind, but he knew he wasn't gonna like it either.

Judge Hardcastle began, "First off, you two ain't going home in two minutes, ..."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Yeah I know it was sort of rotten to end right here but I wanted to get a post up and the chapter was getting a bit long.


	27. The Judgement

Vector 426 Thanks for the review and faithful reading. As for Luke's hitch in the Marines, it will come along later but I don't think so in this story. A bit more things (in my world) have to happen first. If you read some of my other storys the timing of his enlisting **was** due to an event in his life but not this one.

Chapter 27

**Ralph butted in, "Judge Hardcastle, just hang on here! Luke Duke hit ME! I ain't done anything to warrant stayin' here!"**

Judge Hardcastle banged his gavel again, "Order! Mr. Green you have already determined that women aren't wrong. Well there is enough in these here reports, besides Mr. Dukes account to warrant you both staying under the jail for some time. NOW, if you BOTH don't want that, I'd suggest you hold your sas!"

Luke gritted his teeth seeing his summer being longer and longer.

**Ralph shook his head. "Judge!" he began, only to be cut off by yet another good bang of the gavel.**

Hardcastle raised his voice slightly, "ONE more word, Mr. Green and you'll be held in comtempt and I will throw the book at YOU."

That was enough to get through to Luke that no matter what happened, he'd keep his mouth shut and be respectful. No matter how much he didn't like what was being said.

**Ralph glared at the judge, but managed to hold his peace from there on out.**

Hardcastle continued, "As I was saying, you two ain't going home right now, for the next two days, forty-eight hours you two will be held in 'solitary confinement'. No phone calls, no visitors, just you two looking right at each other. IF you can't work out your differences, then you'll just have to learn to tolerate each other. If EITHER of you push the others buttons, the one who leaps will be here a spell, while the one who pushed the buttons will be here a spell longer. Think I'm telling one, try me. Think I can't do it, again, try me." Hardcastle turned to Peggy, "You tell these two what you need done. I'll see to it that it gets done."

Peggy shrugged her shoulders. The way things were done when she had worked at the State penitentury was, "First off I'll need them searched. Deputy Petticord can do that downstairs."

Deputy Petticord motioned for Luke to head back downstairs.

Rosco took Ralph's arm to move him out.

**Ralph pulled his arm out of Rosco's hand with a jerk, but made no move to try getting away. Just a very disrespectful show of arrogance.**

Rosco quickly took Ralph's arm back in his hand, "Don't you threaten me! You just move."

Deputy Petticord had stepped back to Ralph's side. Letting Peggy take Luke out of the courtroom.

Luke's eyes met Jesse's for a brief second.

**Jesse gave Luke a nod, that Luke read correctly as a promise of more severe punishment as soon as Luke's rear was in reaching distance from Jesse's belt, grown man or not.**

Luke knew that look. He was in deep. He figured it was for putting them through all this to begin with, though as far as he figured, most of this hadn't been his fault from the beginning, though he knew Jesse would tell him in no uncertain terms that if he hadn't been racin' to begin with none of this would have happened.

Luke and Ralph were taken downstairs. Luke had been in front so he was the first to be taken to the shower area by Deputy Petticord.

The Deputy instructed, "Alright Luke stripe down to your birthday suit while Peggy gets you a clean set of coveralls."

Luke swore to himself and reached for the zipper of the coveralls.

**Tossing his coveralls aside, Luke leaned against the wall, trying to cover himself to some extent. What a mess he was in. **He followed the Deputy's instructions for the most in depth search Luke had ever had the displeasure of being put through. After dressing, he stepped back into the officer area of the jail to see Peggy searching and packing up his things from the cell. He could only pray that Peggy did NOT see the added pages to the Mopar book under his mattress.

**As Peggy got closer and closer to the mattress, Luke got more and more nervous. And that's when she put her hands under and lifted it up to give it a quick look-see.**

**Luke bit the inside of his jaw to keep from showing his worry.**

Peggy of course seen the Mopar book and picked it up. Orders from the Judge were that they were to have nothing but time, a mattress, pillow and blanket. She started to look through the magazine, but due to fact the men were waiting for her to finish searching the cells she put it in the bag with the rest of Luke's property from the cell.

Luke couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief. He hoped no one was watching him.

**Ralph grinned, noticing Luke's relief. "Peggy, you see that souped up Charger in Luke's book there. If you flip through real good, you oughtta be able to find it."**

**Luke tensed, hoping she wouldn't listen to Ralph.**

Peggy kept on bagging things up not being distracted from her task by Ralph, but did reply, "I'm not that concerned about a car right now."

Luke could only hope that she wasn't that interested later either. He shot Ralph a 'jump off a cliff' look.

**Ralph smirked, looking very satisfied with himself, but Peggy tucked the book under her arm as she finished up in Luke's cell.**

**Luke bit the inside of his jaw to keep from letting out the sigh of relief that tried to escape.**

Deputy Petticord gathered Luke's things to look through better later, then told Ralph, "Step over here and stripe down to your birthday suit I've got ya a clean set of coveralls."

Ralph stepped over to the shower area. He wasn't happy but had been through this when he'd been booked in or so he thought.

Deputy Petticord waited. One Ralph was a naked as a jay bird he quietly instructed him through the same progess he had Luke moments before. "Run your fingers through your hair... Open your mouth... Lift your tougne."

**Ralph looked at the deputy angrily. "I ain't no dang horse!" he exclaimed. "What would I have in my mouth? I been in jail for how long now?"**

Peggy turned from her task for a brief second, "Mr. Green I've seen more stuff try to be taken to segregation than I've ever seen come off an inmate fresh from the streets. Besides, you didn't have that pornograghic magazine when you came in here. Did you?"

Luke hoped Ralph would shut up before his own book became the center of attention again.

**As if reading Luke's mind, Ralph said, "Ol' Luke here didn't have that Mopar book, neither." Shaking his head as if he were actually concerned, he added, "Ain' no telling what kinda dangerous stuff he could be hidin' in there."**

Luke glared at the man.

Peggy seen the look but chalked it up to Ralph trying to push Luke's buttons. She made a mental note to check everything that came out of both cells later after the two were back in their respective cells. "I know my job Mr. Green. For one it is to see that you comply with the Deputy."

**Ralph was more than a little frustrated that his attempts at getting Luke into trouble still had yielded no results. **

**Luke, however, was thrilled with Peggy's response, but wasn't ready to celebrate too much just yet.**

The Deputy was still waiting for Ralph to comply, which he gave a half hearted attempt. After several minutes the Deputy had gotten enough of a look to proceed with the search.

Peggy had gotten Luke back in his cell in anticipation of trouble to come.

He said in the most professional manner. "Mr. Green, lift and separate your privates."

**Ralph turned around, "What the HE - - would I need to do THAT for?"**

**The deputy shook his head. This was going to be a long search.**

Peggy said from Luke's cell door, "Mr. Green you can proceed for the Deputy or I'll call the Sheriff and the Judge."

Luke said, "Surely you've touched them enough in the past. Why should it bother you that you're being watched?"

**Ralph was seriously contemplating killing Luke then and there, but managed somehow to restrain himself. There would be time for that later.**

**Luke was rather pleased with himself, and showed it with a satisfied grin.** Which lasted right up until Peggy turned and glared at him. It managed to have the same effect it would have had it came from his Uncle Jesse. Luke grimaced and wisely set down on his nearly bare bunk.

Ralph finally complied with the Deputy, though he did so reluctantly.

Not being deterred from his training, Deputy Petticord then said, "Turn around, squat, spead your cheeks and couch."

**Now, Ralph had a mouth on him in general, but this was just plain humiliating. "Deputy, I'll do no such thing!" he exclaimed.**

Peggy replied, "Yes, you will. Now, ... or, ... later. For the Deputy or for a bigger audience."

Ralph sighed but did as told.

Before long Ralph was joining Luke in the cell beside Luke's.

Luke was on the bunk with his feet on the edge of the bunk and his arms wrapped around his knees. He was looking straight ahead as Ralph came into the cell.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Sorry this was so long in coming and that it is so short, but with work, EMT testing, and being sick I wanted to get this much posted. Hope to post more soon.

Reviews help.


	28. Revelations

Chapter 28

No Bo didn't want Luke to skin him when he got home so he got started off to do the chores that he was able to do, but Jeb stopped him, "You didn't answer me there Cuz, they have really let you go with them on runs?"

**Bo nodded, a small smile on his face. "Yeah... Yeah, they sure have..." Maybe things weren't the best right now, but at least he knew that his family trusted him that much.**

Jeb asked, "You think Uncle Jesse would let me go before I have to go back home?" He knew his mother would have one more fit if he actually got to go and she found out.

**Bo shrugged. "I don't know, really... I mean, your mama can be awful mean when she gets riled, and I don't know if Uncle Jesse's aimin' to get in more trouble with her."**

Jeb nodded. He should have known that Jesse would ask his parents before he'd even consider letting Jeb go. "Yeah, let's get to work."

**Bo started walking toward the back of the barn where the tools were stored. There were some repairs that needed to be done, and he was going to do as many as he could with one hand.**

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse's feelings alternated between being angry at Luke and understanding his reaction to the Ralph's comments about Daisy. He dreaded his return to the farm. He knew that Bo and the other kids would take Luke's extended stay hard. Jesse tried to get prepared to deal with the kids appropriately no matter how he may feel deep down, because deep down wrong is wrong and Luke had done wrong.

**Bo saw Jesse's truck pulling into the farm, and ran out to meet him, feeling sick to his stomach when he didn't see Luke in the truck. He found himself hoping it was something he didn't know about, like maybe they had to check Luke out before Jesse could bring him home. As soon as the truck stopped, Bo said, his tone worried, "Where's Luke?"**

Jesse sighed. He knew Bo would be the first to the pick up. As he looked up, he saw Daisy and Jeb coming from the other directions.

Jeb looked from Bo to Jesse, "Where's Luke?"

Daisy waited looking as confused as the others.

"Let's just go inside and we'll talk." Jesse wanted a chance to get out of the truck and hoped to avoid Bo injuring himself again.

**Usually, Bo would've kept running off at the mouth, but something in the weary tone of Jesse's voice made him keep his mouth shut and follow his uncle to the house. He felt sick to his stomach, and a little bit like crying, but he forced himself not to let it out. He couldn't. Not here in front of everybody.**

Jesse waited until the kids were setting down. He looked at each of them and then let his eyes rest on the oldest one present, Bo. "Now, before I go any further. I'll have no foolishness from any of you three. You are to remain seated until excused. Is that clear?"

Jeb frowned. He didn't spend as much time with his Uncle Jesse as the others did, but he knew that tone and whatever he had to say wasn't going to be good.

Daisy eyes went wide at Jesse's comment.

**Sorrow had taken over anger in Bo's heart, and he didn't even have it in him to fight against Jesse's call. He settled into his seat, knowing this wouldn't be what he wanted to hear, and not really sure how to respond. He couldn't go messing up his other hand, because that would just put them all in a bind... But the thought of Luke, still in jail? Well, it was a little too much to handle.**

"First of all, Luke will be home Friday." Jesse paused checking out each of the kids reactions before he continued.

**Bo finally spoke up. "Wait just a minute, Uncle Jesse! Why ain't he home now?"**

**Daisy was quiet, but shook her head. This was getting way out of hand. She covered her face, trying to fight back the tears.**

**Jeb was almost as riled as Bo was. "Uncle Jesse, did that Ralph feller get Luke in trouble again? I aim to go down there right now and give him a piece of my mind."**

**Bo looked at Jeb, somewhat surprised, then kind of aggravated that he hadn't thought of that first.**

"Now just settle down before you all join your cousin hot water." Jesse said looking from Bo to Jeb.

Jeb's eyes got a bit wide knowing he'd pushed just a bit too far. "Yes, Sir."

Jesse added, "**Luke's temper got himself in a bit of trouble, and if y'all don't calm down, I'm beginning to think you'll all end up in the same mess one day..."**

**Bo spoke up, trying really hard not to get into more trouble. "Uncle Jesse, what did Luke do?"**

Jesse decided that the entire bit of information would do them better hearing it from Luke, himself, "Well, I thought I'd taught you all to get along with others and not break the rules, but it seems Luke missed some of that lesson and I think I'll just let you all ask him those questions."

Bo nodded, "So when can we go see him?"

Jesse replied, "You'll see him on Friday."

**"But, Uncle Jesse..." Bo began. He'd had his fill of holding his tongue. He wasn't aiming to disrespect his uncle, but he just HAD to see Luke.**

**"But nothin'," Jesse said firmly. "We ain't discussin' or arguin', Bo."**

Bo sighed.

Jesse added, "Besides me telling you that you're not going to see Luke the Judge has said they can't have visitors until they get out on Friday."

Jeb was on to this dog's trail quick, "So Ralph had to stay too? I knew it was him that caused this." He was starting up out of his seat, ...

**Jesse Duke didn't take well to Jeb's apparent plan to take care of things. "You sit down right this minute, Jeb Stuart Duke!" he snapped, pointing at the chair. "You best stay out of this if you know what's good for ya."**

Jeb let his feet out from under him and quickly returned his behind to his seat.

Daisy quietly asked, "But why, Uncle Jesse."

**"That Ralph is one sorry son of a gun!" Bo exclaimed, kicking the leg of his chair to keep from punching the wall again.**

Jesse shot Bo a stern look, then answered Daisy, "Well, I guess the Judge figures if I can't teach Luke those lessons then he'd give it a try."

Seeing no point in what Jesse said, Jeb asked, "But why would he keep us away?"

Jesse had seen Judge Hardcastle's logic here and said, "Bo remember when you were punished for following Luke when he snuck off and skipped school?"

Bo nodded, 'yes'.

Jesse added, "Luke was so mad at you for following him because he thought you got him caught."

Again Bo nodded, 'yes'.

"Well, you see, Bo never got Luke caught. I got a phone call as soon as Luke was not seen on the bus." Jesse explained, but never gave his source away. "They both got grounded for a week. Luke wouldn't even speak to Bo." Jesse explained mainly for Jeb's benefit. "How long did that last Bo?"

Bo shrugged, "Seemed like forever at the time. Just us two in the room and no one else to talk to..."

Jesse smiled at Bo's unfinished sentence, "But it was how long?"

Bo barely looked up as he answered, "Supper time I think."

"Well, there you have it. It didn't take long at all." Jesse said.

"Yeah, but we like each other. Luke and Ralph don't." Bo replied.

Jesse nodded, "I know that and they may never like each other, but the thing is they got to get to the place with one another to leave each other alone."

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Peggy answered the phone when it rang. "Hazzard Jail."

Judge Hardcastle said, "This is Hardcastle. Are they back in the cells?"

"Yes." She answered.

"Any trouble?" The Judge asked.

Peggy had heard and seen a lot worse than the two young men had been, "No."

"Good. Good." Hardcastle paused, "Now, I hope you brought you a book or something to keep you busy because I want those two to have to at least talk to each other enough to reach an agreement to let the other be. The only way that is going to happen, if it does, is for them to only have each other to talk to. So unless it is necessary don't carry on a conversation. I'm not saying don't speak, but no conversations, because if they can talk to you they won't talk to each other."

"I can do that. I'm not sure it's going to work, but I can do that." Peggy said.

"Also, pass it along to Deputy Petticord. I've made sure it's your two working for the next couple days." The Judge said.

"I'll do what I can." Peggy replied.

Judge Hardcastle smiled, "I knew you would."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Across the room in the cells were two very unhappy young men. The longer Luke sat in the cell the madder he got at Ralph. Ralph on the other hand felt much the same way toward Luke.

Peggy got their lunch from Enos, "Thanks Enos. See ya at supper."

Enos frowned, "Don't you want me to relieve you?"

"Thanks, but I'm good." Peggy advised. She took her lunch off the top, then placed a container in each cell. "Lunch fellas."

Ralph tried to strike up a conversation, "What's it supposed to be"

Peggy simply replied, "I didn't ask when I called my order in." She returned back to her desk and began to eat her salad. She had read the log book back to the beginning. Did the monthly report. Read the newspaper and currently had a paperback western open. Just the fact she wasn't supposed to carry on a conversation made it that much harder not to, though she was never over friendly with any of her charges.

Luke opened the container and winced. Chipped beef again. He wasn't sure why they called it that, but they had managed to get it at least once a day since they had been there. He was sure that the gravy around what was supposed to be beef would hold the plastic fork on it's own but he was afraid to try it for fear that he wouldn't eat it. At the moment he wasn't sure which was worse, what the concoction was doing to his body or being hungry until supper. With a heavy sigh he figured the latter was currently the worst of the two.

Ralph on the other hand took one look and closed the container back. He'd not been raised like the Dukes not to waste food no matter how much you may not want to eat that particular food.

Luke put the empty container down and walked to the window. He stood watching life in Hazzard passing him by. Other than family, Cooter and Ruby's visits were the only ones to think about him, as far as he knew all the other friends he had were out there getting on with their lives and their summers. Just the thought of Ruby made him regret going there. The cell was hot and humid with the afternoon sun and that along with the thoughts of Ruby or about any other female that he'd ever known were not helping his current state of body or mind. He wasn't sure where the time had went but was still looking out the window watching no one in particular not miss him. Everyone he saw seemed to be getting on just fine with out him. Luke barely heard the deputy come down the stairs.

"Ok fellas dinner." Deputy Petticord said as he set the two trays in cells and went to the desk with his own dinner.

Peggy asked, "Have you talked to the Judge?"

"Yeah, he talked to me before he left the courthouse." Deputy Petticord replied.

Peggy nodded. "Alright then see you in the morning."

"Alright. Have a good one." the deputy said. He made his way to the desk, propped up his feet and began to read the paper.

Luke walked the short distance from the window to the bars and took the container to the hard bunk. As he opened the container he wasn't sure what the person who came up with the meal was thinking. Now he may not be a health expert but Spaghetti, mashed potatoes, navy beans with cornbread just wasn't his idea of a balanced meal. The dreaded cornbread. It too was served at least once a day sometimes two times. He'd not really be surprised to find it in a breakfast tray. The meal wasn't bad, it was actually one of the better meals but he'd have thought they could have come up with something to have went together better than all those starches. One thing for sure, this experience sure would make him appreciate Jesse and Daisy's cooking more. Luke wasn't sure he'd ever even take just being able to go to the refrigerator for a snack for granted for a long while to come.

Without really thinking about it, Luke found himself back at the window. He watched Cooter close the garage, lock up then cut out with Brodie and Dobro. It didn't look like any of them missed his participation in the antics as they all likely headed out to the Boar's Nest to girls that also likely hadn't missed him either. Luke watched as the rest of Hazzard closed down and headed home. Before he knew it the big lights were cut out leaving nothing but enough like for the officer to be able to watch on them.

There was no longer anything to watch out the window and nothing to do in the cell but lay down, so Luke made his way to the steel cot. His body complained no matter how he turned. He seemed sore on all sides in places he'd never hurt before. Luke set up and began looking at the cell in the dim light. The officer, that he was in plain view of and had been 24 / 7 since he'd been there was only the distance of the rather small room away. Then, there was Ralph who, like now, was less than ten feet away from him and had been for far too long.

Luke had never been one to have a lot of privacy with Bo sharing a room and his bed closer than Ralph's bunk. Also, being the oldest, Luke never knew when any of his cousins would have a bad dream or get scared by a storm and seek him out in the middle of the night. Though in the past few years it was them looking to talk to him about a date gone wrong. Luke then began to wonder what they had been doing without him? Yeah, he knew it had only been a few days, but he'd never been away from any of them this long since they had come to live with Jesse. Next he started thinking about what his absence was doing to his younger cousins and his Uncle. The added work load. Bo's broken wrist which caused more work on each of them even with Jeb there.

Then there was the messages he was sending each of his younger cousins, even the ones not in Hazzard. Luke was sure that Jeb's mother had let the others knwo exactly where he was at and why, though that part may be exagerated by now. Oh, he was sure he'd hear all about this from Jesse once he got home, but for now he was looking at them himself. First was that he thought it was alright to break a law (not just a rule) because someone else did something wrong. Yes, he may reason he had done it for the 'right reason', but bottom line; he had been wrong. Luke figured he also sent them a message that he knew it all; he didn't.

Luke realized that he'd have to set the record straight and also apologize to all his family. Just the thought of those admissions tended to leave a rather bad taste in his mouth since he'd always been expected to set an example for the younger ones and this wasn't where he wanted any of them to be, ever.

He looked over at Ralph who was setting up not really looking at anything. Luke studied him for a long minute and tried to swallow the bad taste in his mouth caused by what he was about to say. Well, at least what he was trying to come to terms with saying...

01~~~~~~~~01

Please let me know how you like it. It may just speed up the next chapter. Thanks!


	29. Truce

Thanks Vector for review # 100. Sorry about the cliff hanger. Maybe this one will be better.

Parts of this chapter is written in Memory of Neva Patterson, Swamp Molly, who passed away December 14th, 2010 at the age of 90. This was one of my favorite episodes. We have also lost two more important residents of Hazzard: Peggy Rea, Lulu Hogg, passed away Feb 5th, 2011 at the age of 89. Also, more recently, Paul R. Baxley, stunt coordinator and stuntman who passed away March 4th at the age of 88. Thanks for all the gifts and laughs each of your talents gave us. May you all Rest in Peace.

**Truce**

Daisy came in from work to find Jesse setting alone on the porch swing with his Bible closed by him. "Are you alright, Uncle Jesse?"

Jesse gave her a reassuring look and replied, "I'm fine. Just thinking."

She thought for a minute and knowing said, "About Luke?"

Jesse couldn't deny it, "That's right."

"He's OK isn't he? I mean, ..." Daisy's voice trailed off.

"He's fine." Jesse said but his thoughts continued with what he wouldn't voice to the young innocent girl before him, _'Well, as fine as a young man can be when he's been locked away in a cage for nearly two weeks.'_Jesse may seem like a saint to most everyone in Hazzard these days but he and a few others in the County knew better. In fact there was a time back in the Fall of '39 when he'd came very close to being a guest not of the County for a few weeks but of the State for a few years. He thought back to how 'Swamp Molly' had helped him that night to get away from the Feds. Jesse knew he'd never forget what she had done, not that she'd ever let him forget it either. In fact she still claimed he owed her and tended to call in the favor every few years or so. Also, Jesse couldn't say that he nor his brothers had never been behind those same bars that Luke was now, though he for one had never been sentenced to any time. Still, Jesse knew how unpleasant even those times had been.

Daisy seen Jesse was still deep in thought, "Are you coming to bed? It's getting late."

Jesse replied, "Go on, I'll be along soon." He continued to think how different things on this farm could have been if it hadn't have been for Swamp Molly. Lavinia always said that the lady had done so because she had her 'cap for him'. Jesse smiled at the thought because by that time he only had eyes for Lavinia. That close call, coupled with responsibility of being the oldest of his brothers and sisters had surely caused Jesse to be a lot more careful and, in fact, settled his wilder ways down right considerable. Jesse could only hope that this entire situation would have a similar effect on Luke, however, he knew that it was just as likely to have the opposite effect. With Luke being cooped up all this time Jesse knew that when he got home, the temptation to go 'hog wild and pig crazy' would be there. Jessee knew he could treat Luke like a child and ground him longer, but he knew he couldn't ground Luke for forever. On the other hand, if Luke was man enough to break the law and have to set in jail because of it once then Jesse figured that if that was his choice to do so again who was he to try to stop him? Yes, Jesse knew he'd try to talk to Luke and convince him not to try to make up for the time he'd lost this summer while in jail but he'd not treat him like a child either.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

In the boys room, Bo was as jumpy as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Jeb may have been on Luke's bed but he was doing nothing but reminding Bo that Luke again wouldn't be sleeping beside him.

Jeb knew he was a poor substitute for their older cousin, but tried, "Checkers?"

Bo tossed the magazine he had been staring at for over an hour without turning a single page, "Nah." He got up off the bed and walked to the window. He strangely felt every bit as caged as Luke was currently. He knew it would have been bad enough to have been in jail as long as Luke had been even had he gotten to come home on Wednesday as originally told instead of two whole days later on Friday. That was one thing about being grounded by Jesse Duke you knew if he said a weekend or a week that was what he meant. It was those few times he'd been mad enough to ground them without telling them how long like this time. Jesse never had to tell any of them they were grounded. They just knew. As for how long, none of the three had gotten brave enough to ask that yet. Bo looked down at his casted hand. That was yet another restriction along with being grounded and not having Luke around. He wasn't even sure he could drive a standard right now even if he hadn't been grounded.

Jeb watched him for a long while before saying, "I think there was some pie left. Join me?"

Bo's stomach was ready, until his mind reminded him that Luke wasn't able to have a snack, midnight or other wise. He now felt his stomach in his throat and knew he'd never be able to anything right now. He replied, "Go ahead. I'm fine."

Jeb looked at Bo's back as he stood staring out across the field. He knew that Bo was anything but fine, but had no idea how to make it better for any of his older cousins or his uncle. Jeb knew they had a bit of age on him, and he knew things could change, but he promised himself right there to try his best not to put his family through this type pain. He prayed things got back to some sort of normal tomorrow when Luke got home.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

What Luke had to say took a bit longer to say than it likely should have. It was nearing dinner the next day be fore he asked Ralph, "Are you enjoying this?"

"What?" Ralph looked at him like he'd lost his mind.

Luke continued, "Fact is, I'm not. I haven't been. But this is about a lot more people than us. About people that care about us and that we care about. In fact, you being here is hurting some one that I'd rather not see hurt by you or me, either one."

Ralph was confused, "Who?"

"Robin." Luke saw his dander beginning to rile, "Now, just hold on. What I'm trying to say is I think it is time we call a truce."

Ralph had only heard the word a couple times in school and wasn't real familiar with it. He asked with a frown, "Truce?"

"Yeah," Luke began to explain, "I've given up enough of my time over this whole thing and I'm sure you had other things you'd like to be doing other than locked up here." He paused.

Ralph wasn't sure where Luke was going here, but so far Luke was right. If he hadn't been here, he was sure that Robin would be 'his' by now. At the moment he wasn't even sure they were still engaged since his phone conversations had been at best limited and monitored. He hadn't been ready to talk about anything that would have given Luke the idea that they weren't anything less than very happy. But, there was still the fact, she had not been here to see him at all. Ralph frowned as he thought, _'Just like Duke said she wouldn't be.'_ He hated that Duke knew her that well.

Luke seen he had Ralph's attention so he continued, "We're all out of school. She'll be starting college in a few weeks now. If you are what she wants, I'm not gonna try to mess with that. I got nothing to prove to her or you on or off the road." Luke hoped that Ralph didn't jump on that, since he'd not only beaten but embarrassed Ralph when he'd ended up in the ditch. He saw Ralph about to say something cute, "Look. Is it worth spending the rest of the time she is home before college in here over who's car is faster? If that's what you want to prove there are several races around the Tri-Counties this summer. We'll be there, ... enter. We'll settle it on the track."

Ralph wasn't as sure as Luke was that Robin would be leaving for college this fall or ever if he had his way about it, but to get that way he needed to be a lot closer to her. So at least for now, what Duke said made sense. Ralph knew it woudl take time to get her under his control enough to listen to him.

Before Ralph could reply, Rosco showed up with the dinner trays, "Good news, good news, dinner is here."

Luke only wished he could be that happy about dinner. He sighed. One good thing about it was that it would be his last dinner here. He hoped it wasn't the chipped beef like they had again for lunch. Opening the container he seen it was worse. It was the Chili Mac. They had been served it a couple times while here. Because he had pasta, something that resembled meat, tomato paste or something red, and chili spices, who ever fixed the trays thought it was nearly a meal by its self so the only other thing on the trays was two pieces of cornbread.

Ralph looked at his food, then at Luke, "So how does this 'truce' thing work?"

Luke may not have been in the habit of wasting food, but for now it could wait as he set the tray down, "Simple. We get out of here tomorrow. You go your way and I'll go mine. Then, we just leave each other alone and stop trying to push each others buttons."

Ralph considered that a couple minutes before saying, "Prom night. You pulled my car out."

Luke nodded, 'yes' for him to go ahead.

"I had a bottle of Jack Daniels in there. Care to tell me what happened to it?" Ralph said accusingly.

There was several ways Luke could tell the truth here. Point blank make Robin the bad guy causing trouble for her and Ralph. Tell the truth and credit Robin so that Ralph wasn't mad at her. Or take total blame himself. Thinking quickly, Luke decided on what he thought would work the best if he actually planned to hold to the truce he suggested, because he knew if Ralph 'hurt' Robin in any way he'd never even think of the truce again. He said as he tried to cover the edge to his voice, "It seems your girl didn't want you in trouble with the law," Luke looked around at their surroundings and added, "Imagine that. Anyway, it seems **she** trusted **ME** to keep _**YOU**_ out of trouble, which I did."

Ralph frowned. It was a logic that was hard to argue with, but he did ask, "So where did my 'Jack' go?"

Luke bite his tongue at least three times before he could talk with out saying what he was thinking, _'The Jack that you wanted to try to use to take advantage of Robin with?'_ Instead he decided to answer truthfully, "I gave it to a friend for graduation night. Thanks to you, I hear he had a real good time."

"Well, ... I'm glad he did. I was so broke from prom, loosing to you and that wrecker bill; that had it not been for graduation presents I'd not had gas to get to graduation, let alone something to drink in celebration." Ralph said truthfully.

Luke could only hope it was in 'celebration' not in seeking out a 'conquest'. "The wrecker bill wasn't me in the least."

Ralph thought for awhile before saying anything else. If Duke was playing square with him that was not one but two things less he had against the guy in front of him. But he didn't like the idea of backing down to anyone, let alone Duke. So he asked, "So I'm just expected to back down?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders, "Not exactly. I don't see it so much as either of us is backing down, more like just walking away."

Ralph nodded then said unsure if he was ready to be 'friends' with Duke, but finding it hard not to at least think about, "I'll think about it."

"Fair enough." Luke said. He'd hoped to get this resolved tonight, but it looked like he'd have to wait at least awhile before he'd know if he'd actually gotten through Ralph's thick skull. Or course, no matter what was said here tonight, the proof would be when they ran into each other outside of these bars.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Daisy made it to her room and while getting ready for bed thought of her two oldest male cousins. She really would like to wring both their necks at times like this for putting Uncle Jesse and the entire family through all this. First there was Luke, who had so much Duke pride that he'd rather set in a jail cell than to back down from anything. Just like he'd stood there and took every thing that Pauline had said to him. Daisy hadn't been able to put her finger on what Luke had done in order for the Judge to keep him and Ralph longer but she had a strange feeling it had something to do with her. Something told her that Luke's stubborn Duke pride had said or done something because of her. As she brushed her hair in front of the mirror she looked at herself. It was times like this that she really hated the attention she had started getting from men. Usually she enjoyed the attention or at least had learned to use it to her advantage, but Bo and Luke were so protective of her that sometimes they jumped in when they shouldn't have. Something told her this was one of those times.

Then, there was Bo who had so much temper that he broke his wrist and hand punching the pole in the barn. No matter what he said, sheknew that Luke being kept away from him hurt Bo worse that the pain from the injury had.

Daisy was just getting in bed when she finally heard Jesse come in from the porch. She could also hear enough from Jeb and Bo to know that they too were still awake.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Day broke in Hazzard much like any other morning for everyone except a few folks named Duke and maybe one named Green.

At the farm, Bo who hadn't gotten much sleep the entire time that Luke had been gone, got even less the night before. He couldn't help wonder if something else would happen to keep Luke from coming home again.

Jeb was awake as soon as he head Bo stirring about. Neither were surprised to find Jesse already in the kitchen with coffee made and ready to start breakfast. Looking at the kitchen clock it was nearly thirty minutes earlier than they were usually up. Jeb looked at Bo, "May as well get on the chores."

Jesse nodded, "I'll have breakfast when you two get back."

Daisy had just been waiting to hear the others up before she got up. She had been more awake that asleep all night long. This morning seemed like many of the Christmas mornings the cousins had shared as kids. The restrained eagerness for the night to pass so that they could see what Santa had brought them. This morning no presents awaited them, but the cousins didn't care. They would be happy just to finally see their oldest cousin home. Daisy hurried to get dressed so that they could have everything done before Luke got home. Well, at least she hoped that Luke would finally make it home.

Each had their own ideas of just what they wanted to do with Luke first.

01~~~~~~~~~01

For someone who hadn't gotten much sleep that past week and a half, Luke was also awake early. He sincerely hoped that nothing would keep him from getting home today. He really wanted a long hot shower in the privacy of their bathroom, his own clothes, a descent lunch, somewhere in there just fifteen minutes by himself and his own bed back tonight. Then, he thought about Ruby's offer and decided that maybe he could wait one more night before making it to his own bed if he still wasn't grounded for life. Luke really hoped that that his Uncle Jesse would think he'd 'paid' enough for his mistakes. He surely would like a night out on the town to cut loose, drink a few beers, listen to some music, maybe dance a bit, and then if things worked out he'd find himself leaving all that behind early to take one Miss Ruby up on her plans. Luke swore to himself. He had allowed his imagination to run away with it's self rapidly. If he kept this up that hot shower would have to be a cold one.

It wasn't long before Ralph was up and began to pace the cell in anticipation of being released.

Peggy brought the breakfasts in and after giving Deputy Petticord his lunch took the guys theirs.

It was Ralph who voiced what Luke was considering asking, "So, ... ummmm, ... anything we have to do before getting out of here today?"

Peggy smiled a bit and asked, "You mean like seeing the Judge before leaving?"

Luke was listening intently.

Ralph nodded, "Yeah, like that exactly."

"The only thing ya'll have to do, which most people find to be the hardest sometimes, is just to wait for the clock hands to both be straight up." Peggy said.

Letting out the breath Luke hadn't realized he'd been holding, he said, "But we've been here this long why should another six hours matter?"

Peggy replied, "I've seen it before and you two may be different, but usually the hardest time anyone has in jail is the first few hours and the last few when they know they are getting out."

That didn't make a lot of sense to Luke or Ralph but they hadn't been there before so they wouldn't argue the point. Luke opened his tray to two fried eggs that now looked plastic, two pieces of toast and chipped beef gravy. As much as he'd been taught not to waste food, this morning had to be the exception. Besides, he could always argue the fact that this didn't qualify as food. Luke knew he'd be hungry by lunch but if Peggy was right he should be home for lunch.

Ralph took one look and didn't even think about it. He closed the container and figured he'd stop at the Boars Nest for a bit of lunch on his way home or to Robin's. He hadn't figured out where would be his first stop.

Luke brought up last nights conversation, "So, thought any more about that truce?"

Actually Ralph had been thinking about that for most of the night. One part of him thought he was backing down to not continue to out do Duke. When he was around Robin and especially her family it seemed like he was competing with a ghost, but this ghost had a name, was warm and breathing only a few feet away from him and that made blood boil and 'got his goat' all at the same time. But what Duke had said about Robin only being home for a short while, at least that was her plans. If he wanted his plans to work and not be only having a girlfriend when she decided to come home from that fancy school her and her parents had picked out all the way across the state, then he needed to concentrate on her now. There would be plenty of time later to deal with Duke. The part of him that felt as if he was backing down had to ask, "So when is those races you mentioned?"

Luke thought maybe just maybe something he'd said had sank into the thick skull of the guy in front of him, "Next one is three weeks away in Placid County. They have a big deal up there. A small round track, a drag strip, even do some motorcycle racing and afterwards the set up a road course. You can enter in as many events as you want. They race all weekend."

Ralph asked, "So this truce thing, ... it don't apply on the track?"

"There is mainly only one rule up there that is strictly abidded by, ... There ain't no rules." Luke explained.

"Well, then if that is the case, I think I can agree to try this here truce thing and I'll see ya on at least one of those tracks up there." Ralph replied. He hoped he could get some money up to be able to enter more than one of them. Now he just had to think about which race he thought he could beat Duke at.

At least that got Luke's mind on something simi constructive. He had two weeks to get his car ready and painted for that race. He'd also have to try to get some work driving the wrecker for the needed cash for the car and the entry fee. He'd also get a bit from making delivers. He was nearly sure that Jesse hadn't delivered as much as he would have done. Jesse just wouldn't leave the others alone with him in jail that often. Sure Jesse had likely did a few that he couldn't put off but they were still behind. If he knew Jesse as well as he thought he did, Luke knew production hadn't slowed and all he'd have to do is deliver the goods. He just hoped that didn't want him to deliver anything tonight.

Then he swore. Luke had intended to swear to himself, well actually he had voiced the swear before the thought that suddenly occurred to him had a chance to finish. He wouldn't be making any deliveries or be driving the wrecker. Shoot, he wouldn't even be driving to the Boar's Nest to meet Ruby. Because as soon as he walked out the front door of this building his drivers license was revoked for fifteen days.

Ralph looked at Luke questioning. Even Peggy and Deputy Petticord looked up when Luke swore. It was Ralph who asked, "What?"

Luke thought before answering. He may have a truce with the guy but that didn't mean they were friends. He replied, "I just remembered I still have to get my car painted and all before that there race up in Placid. Three weeks ain't much time." It was the truth, Luke had been thinking that. Now if Ralph rolled out of here and jumped in his car forgetting or deciding to ignore the Judge's warning that if they were caught driving they'd spent the next one to six months here. It certainly couldn't be Luke's fault, they had both been told and warned.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Hope you enjoyed this chapter with no cliff hangers. Please review.


	30. Home Coming

Sorry for the delays. Life is crazy here and the next month my schedule will be mixed up after months of working straight midnights Sunday through Thursday nights, I'll be working some 12 on weekends and evening, day and midnight shifts. Know I'll love that but in the mix I do have a few three days off so I'll try to do better and hope May schedule is normal. Thanks for all the readers and reviews!

Chapter 30

With Jesse taking Luke to court, he didn't have to worry about driving himself home. He knew that Jesse would be there at the stroke of noon to pick him up. But, Ralph however, had to drive in from Placid County for court. Luke wondered where he had parked that Rosco had not given him grief for the extended stay in Hazzard.

As the clock neared noon, Luke was called out of the cell first, "Luke." Peggy said as she unlocked the cell door. Luke gladly stepped outside the cell. He was given his clothes, belt, boots along with his personal items. As the clock struck 12:00 noon his card was stamped out.

Ralph was let out of his cell only after Luke was sent up the stairs.

Luke was more concerned about getting out of jail than Ralph so he proceeded out to where Jesse was waiting outside.

Jesse insisted, "Come on, Luke. Let's get you home and out of here before that Green boy comes out."

Luke nodded in agreement, though he would have loved to have seen him arrested right then and there for driving with a revoked license. Tensely, Luke nodded, 'Ok.' After getting into the old white pick up, Jesse drove away, heading both himself and his oldest nephew toward the family farm.

As Jesse drove up the driveway Bo, Daisy and Jeb finally saw their missing cousin and ran from points far and near. Screams of "Luke!" erupted across the farm.

Luke looked at Jesse.

Jesse meerily replied, "You created this. You deal with it."

Luke nodded and grimaced even before the old pick up stopped at the farm house. Even before Luke opened the truck door, Bo was nearly in his lap.

"LUKE!" Bo exclaimed.

Jeb and Daisy were right behind Luke.

"I'm here. I'm fine." Luke said hoping to satisfy his cousins. You'd have thought he'd been gone 12 months not DAYS!

Bo had latched on to him like he was a 'life line' for a drowning person.

Luke finally managed to get out of the truck and peel Bo and the others off him, "Come on y'all, I just really need a shower."

Understanding and grateful, they let Luke make his way into the farm house and to the shower, while each planned their own version of the reunion.

Once inside the privacy of the bathroom door, Luke locked the door and let out a giant sigh of relief. Finally, he was home, safe, sound and alone in the bathroom. That is where he stayed for several minutes before he undressed, showered, dried, and dressed. After shaving he waited, totally enjoying the privacy that he'd had for the past several minutes. He knew when he opened the door to the bathroom that all that would change. Taking in and letting out a cleansing breath, Luke prepared himself before opening the bathroom door.

Daisy called as soon as she heard the bathroom door open, "Luke, we've waited lunch for you."

After dodging the breakfast the County had supplied him earlier that morning, Luke was grateful that they waited for him, but wouldn't have minded if they had eaten without him and left him the leftovers. Now, he had no choice but to report to the table and eat now with his family. Luke obeindently headed to the table.

Jesse as usual said the grace ans added thanks for Luke's return home. Then, everyone dug into the sandwich fixin's with some french fried potatoes. Daisy had put out a jug of 'sun tea' out earlier so that it was ready lunch.

Luke could honestly say that this was the best meal he'd had in nearly two weeks, and did so, "Daisy this may just be sandwiches, but it's the best thing I've had to eat since I left here the other morning."

Daisy blushed a bit, "Luke!"

Bo frowned. If that was the best Luke had eaten since being gone then something was wrong. He thought prisoners was supposed to get three square meals a day. This was just a snack. "Hold on a second, there Luke. I thought they was supposed to give you three square meals a day."

Luke swallowed a bit of sandwich, "Well, they may be three square meals, but that don't mean you like them or can eat them." He saw the looks from his family and though he didn't feel the need to tell them every detail he did say, "When have you ever had mashed potatoes with any pasta and cornbread and beans?"

"What? That is all starches." Jesse said.

"Well, ya may get all the vegetables the next round." Luke said, then added after a pause, "I guess it may equal out there somewhere. But, I'll take this as the most normal meal I've had in days."

Jesse only nodded. He'd have a talk with Rosco or the diner or who ever made those meals up. But right now his family was back together. "Alright, since we're all home now. The back forty needs some hoeing then after the evening chores I reckon y'all can have a night off. But, that just gives me time to get things ready for tomorrow night. So enjoy tonight and be ready tomorrow." Jesse declared.

Luke seen the look that Jesse gave him. It was a warning look yet he'd been given all the rope he needed to hang himself. He silently swore.

Out in the back forty Bo was eager. "Luke! What are we going to do tonight?"

Luke frowned, "Well, with your broken wrist and my revoked license, ..."

Jeb jumped in, "I can drive."

Bo smiled.

Luke replied, "Yes, ... yes, ... you can."

After dinner, the boys dressed up for a night on the town. The three would be some crew, first there was Bo, who would be seventeen in days had a broken right wrist and could not drive a car with a standard transmission, Then there was Jeb, who was just over sixteen and had a brand new driver's license. Jeb was also overly eager since his mother had never allowed him to go out honky tonkin' before. Rounding out the bunch was Luke, the oldest but much to his displeasure currently had a revoked drivers license. So that would eliminate or limit much of the activities that the older male teens usually enjoyed on a Friday night.

Jesse cautioned the three to not get into any trouble, but even the family patriarch knew his words were falling on deaf ears.

Jeb drove Luke's car to the Boar's Nest without incident and as planned.

Though Luke felt as if every eye in the place was on him, he walked into the Boar's Nest trying to act as though nothing was a miss. Several ladies focused on him as he entered the local bar, but his attention went to the 'lady' who had propositioned him previously when he was still behind bars. If she did half tonight what she indicated the other day at the jail, Luke would be in seventh heaven for some time to come. He made his way to Ruby and after a drink asked her to dance.

Ruby drank the drink then followed him to the dance floor. As he took her in his arms, Ruby said, "Luke, we don't have to go through all this. I'm ready to leave when you are."

Luke nearly choked before he could reply. He knew he couldn't drive the two of them out of there. As tempting as the offer to leave right then and there was, Luke found himself being honest, "Ruby, Darlin', as much as I'd like for us to leave right now, I can't just drive us out of here. Ya, see, ... after all that my license is revoked, ..."

Ruby stopped him with a kiss. "Not to worry. I have a car. I'll drive."

That was far more that Luke was expecting, but he replied, "Well, alright."

Ruby replied, "I'll just slip off a freshen up a bit. Be right back Sugar."

Something in the way Ruby called him Sugar was not at all the same as when Daisy called him by the same word. Luke returned to the table and finished his beer while waiting on Ruby to return.

01~~~~~~~~~01

It was nearly dark as Robin neared the Boar's Nest. As luck would have it a car stopped dead in front of her before she knew what was happening. She automatically, back shifted to slow down only managing to cross the gears of the car. Nothing she tried would release the gears. The car was stuck in between gears in the middle of the road. She spotted the Hazzard County wrecker parked at the local 'watering hole' and prayed that Luke Duke was not its' driver tonight.

Robin put on her flashers and walked to the local bar. As she entered, she scanned the room. From a table near the door none other than Luke Duke asked, "Something wrong?"

With a sigh, Robin replied a bit embarrassed, "Crossed the gears in my car. They're jammed. I can't get them loose." It was a simple problem, yet, Robin could not get the car to respond to her.

Luke half way grinned, "Told ya that synchronizer was going. Come on." He walked to the back of Hazzard's wrecker, grabbed a hammer and tarp and crawled under Robin's car. Three pecks later, Luke said, "Go to first."

Robin tried the shifter. It went right into first. "Got it."

Luke scooted out from the car and motioned for Robin to get out of the car. She moved. She knew he'd have to check it for himself. Setting down in the seat he took the car through the gears several times without even starting it just in case Rosco was nearby. It seemed to shift alright to him. He got out and advised, "Shift it gentle. Don't try to kill it and it should be good."

Robin glared at him for the advice that she'd heard before, "Yeah. Thanks for the help."

"Anytime." Luke said with the too sweet southern accent as he flipped the hammer back into his hand. Luke paused long enough at the wrecker to put the hammer and tarp back, then went back to into the Boar's Nest, where Ruby was now waiting at the bar.

"Where did you run off to?" Ruby asked.

"Helped Cooter and an old friend. They crossed the linkage in their car. I knocked it loose." Luke explained without giving a lot of details.

Unconcerned, Ruby replied, "Oh. Ok, lets get going."

Get going was what they did as they left the Boar's Nest behind. Ruby drove her car away, while Luke concentrated on forgetting his acts of being a gentleman. He was more than ready forget all about being anything like a gentlemen.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

From a parked car toward the back of the Boar's Nest, Robin's younger brother who could be a thorn in any ones' side saw his sister stop her car nearly in the road and go into the Boar's Nest. He was about to get out of the car to go see what was going on when he was very surprised to see Robin come back out of the Boar's Nest with none other than her Ex-boyfriend. Now he was even more interested and was sure that her fiance would be too. He saw Robin get in the car as Luke got under it. After a few minutes he saw them talk before Robin got in the car and drove away with Luke returning to the Boar's Nest. It seemed really funny to him that Luke was the one working on the car when he knew that Cooter was driving the wrecker tonight. He thought that his night now had the possibility of getting real interesting. Just as he stepped out of the car again he saw Luke come back out with another girl, get into a car and leave. Seeing Luke's car still parked, David knew it would only be a matter of time before Luke returned. He went inside and waited.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Several hours later, Ruby dropped Luke off outside the Boar's Nest. As Luke walked inside, spotted Bo and Jeb with a couple young girls at a back table he ordered a beer at the bar. He had not been watching the crowd until he heard Robin's youngest brother David say, "What were you doing in Robin's car earlier?"

Luke replied, "Making sure that Robin got it back home."

"So you and my sister were in her car? That makes perfect since!" David said adding more to it than had happened. "Wait until Ralph hears you were in her car tonight!"

Luke knew David well. He was the type to start trouble then set back and watch. Luke looked the shorter teen in the eye, and calmly said,"Ralph had better not hear anything from you about it." Even as Luke said this, he knew, it would do no good. Luke was also treading on thin ice since David was under eighteen.

David smiled, quickly finding an exit.

"Sh-!" Luke swore as Daisy handed him his beer.

Daisy asked, "What was 'that' about?"

Luke waved his hand dismissing it. "Robin crossed the linkage in her car earlier. I was here, got it unstuck, checked it out, obviously seen by her younger brother, who has run off to spread wild rumors to Ralph that I was in her car."

Daisy replied, "But, Luke, ... you told him not to."

"Nothing short of killing him would stop him and he's not worth it." said Luke taking a drink of beer. He saw Mark and his date Sharon enter. "I'll be back in a bit." Luke walked to them said to Mark, "Buy you a beer."

Mark replied, "Ok, what's up?"

Luke said, "You mean other than David trying to push my buttons?"

Mark questioned, "You mean my brother, David? Him push any body's buttons? **Nev-ver**!" replied Mark sarcastically.

Luke explained, "Robin was by here earlier. She had car problems in her ride. I got her going. David saw me in the car. Now, I suppose he's off to tell Ralph."

Mark raised his glass, "That's my brother!" he paused, "You know, he's pushing because ..."

"Because I can't touch him." said Luke to finish Mark's statement. "Yeah I know."

One of the girls who'd been eying Luke earlier came up behind him, "Care to dance?"

Luke turned to see Shelly standing there. He'd seen her before and knew she a bit younger than him but why not? He was in a good mood from his earlier outing with Ruby and now with David trying to push his buttons she may get his mind off the pest. "Sure why not." The dance had been a slow one and Shelly was letting her hands wander a bit hoping to get Luke's attention enough to be asked out by him. Luke responded favorably and let his hands do a bit of wandering too.

As the song ended, there was a shout from David in the back of the room, "What are you going to do use her like you did my sister, then leave her too?"

Cooter, Bo and Mark all moved to stop Luke, but he had been too fast going after David. He picked him up by the shirt collar, pinned him to the wall with his left hand, while with the right he drew back. As he brought the punch forward, Luke regained some of his senses. He brought the punch with in mere inches from David's face never touching him, yet noticeably scaring him. Luke let him down on the floor, pointed toward the door and said, "Go! You are **NOT** worth it!"

David was gone in a flash. Luke turned seeing David's father setting with Jesse for the first time. He had not moved to help his son. Luke walked over and said, "Bill, it was Da- close, but I didn't touch him."

Bill replied to Luke, "I saw. I was also here for the first round. I couldn't much blame you if you **had** hit him."

"He's pushing my buttons over me helping Robin earlier with her car. Now he's probably telling Ralph everything he thinks he knows." explained Luke.

"I LIVE with him." was all his father said.

Luke shook his hand and said, "I don't need the trouble, but I didn't want you mad at me either."

Bill replied, "We're fine."

"Thanks." Luke said. As he turned to go he seen the look of approval from Jesse.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

NOTE: Please read and review. Characters other that Dukes are totally fictional and aren't meant to be or reflect on anyone living or dead.


	31. Friday Night Out

Thanks for reading and all the reviews. This month's schedule is a witch at work but I'm trying to find time to keep updating so please keep reading. I hope May looks better.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 31

Luke danced a few more dances with Shelly and a couple other girls. Jesse and Bill had left long ago. Bo and Jeb had each found something young and warm to cuddle as last call was announced. Luke made his way to the bar and ordered another beer. This was one advantage of Jeb driving. He told Daisy to send Bo and Jeb another round drinks as he took his beer. Just as Luke thought that he'd get out of there without any trouble from Ralph, he saw him enter the bar. Taking a long drink of his beer, Luke swore to himself. Something told him there was going to be trouble, and it was likely with a capitol ' T '.

As Ralph walked in and spotted Luke at the bar, he approached Luke.

Luke sighed. Taking another drink of beer he said, "Now Ralph, I know David has been filling your head with a bunch of crap..."

"How would you know that?" Ralph asked.

"Because Robin was here earlier. Her linkage got crossed. I saw her before Cooter did and went out and got it uncrossed. Yes, I got in her car and made sure that the gears shifted freely. She was not in the car with me, but I bet that David didn't tell you that. My date was in the restroom. I got Robin back on the road and was back in here just as she came out of the restroom. I left with Ruby. Ask anyone here. David only told you enough to try to push your buttons like he's been pushing mine. And five will get you twenty, that he's somewhere watching to see us both just hoping that we both cross the line to get in trouble while he comes out smelling like a rose." Luke said.

Ralph frowned. "You're kidding? Right? That was all there was to it?"

"That's all. Just trying to be helpful." Luke replied.

Ralph fumed, "So, I've risked my behind and license to come over here and confront you about actually helping Robin get to meet me on time?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders, "If that's how you got here, ... yeah."

"There was no more to it?" Ralph asked.

Luke replied, "No, not a bit more."

Ralph replied, "Well, this isn't over. I plan to ask around. If what you are saying isn't true, we'll have problems."

Luke gave a bit of a smile, "Ask all you want. Care to join me outside and see if we spot a rat?"

Ralph followed Luke outside the Boar's Nest. Just as they walked outside they saw David's truck take off out of the parking lot like a scalded hound.

Luke said, "There goes you're 'rat'."

Ralph like Luke knew David's pickup. He nodded. For the moment what Luke said was adding up, he'd have to give him that. Before Ralph was forced to say anything that would indicate that he was in any way backing down, Rosco flew by in hot pursuit of a vehicle heading toward town.

Luke suggested, "If I were you, while he's that way, I'd be going the other way."

As others started coming outside signaling the closing of the bar for the night, Ralph said, "I'll do that, but I do intend to check into this further."

"Be my guest." Luke said as Ralph turned to go to his car hoping to mix in with the others leaving and not be spotted driving.

Bo and Jeb came outside and asked, "What was that all about?"

"I knew that David would run straight to Ralph and tell him I helped get Robin on the road earlier." Luke said figuring that they had missed some of the details of the evening. "Come on let's get out of here." Luke said as he walked to his car. Purely out of habit he went to the drivers side of the car as he reached for the keys in his pocket and found them not there."

"Looking for these?" Jeb said from behind him as he showed him the keys.

Luke sighed heavily and went to the passenger side of the car as he replied, "Habit."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The Duke patriot was in bed by now but not alseep. He heard all the boys come in and knew Daisy would be behind them in awhile. He was glad the boys were home. Jesse hoped that meant Luke had had no other trouble after he left. He listened as the boys made their way in the house and to their room with nothing seemingly out of place. Just as the house quietened down for the night Jesse heard Daisy come in and quietly get ready for bed. Now he could go to sleep.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The Duke farm woke to what appeared to have the makings of a bright sunny day, though the sun had not dawned yet as the family first stirred. Saturday for the Dukes usually meant a morning of regular chores followed by anything that had been put off until the weekend when they could all help. But it also meant when the work was done they'd likely have a bit if free time. Today was no different as Jesse said as the boys were heading out for chores, "After chores, I need ya'll to take the pickup to town for some nails and tin roofing. We got to get that back side of that barns roof fixed before the next big rains." He added before the boys could complain, "While you're waiting you can run by the garage just as long as you eat a doughnut for me, but I need ya'll back here to get that roof done. Once it is done you'll be good until tonight. Don't make any plans for later tonight."

Luke nodded. That was all he needed to know.

Bo also knew what was up.

Jeb, on the other hand didn't pick up on the plan for the night near as quickly.

They all headed outside and Jeb stopped Bo, "What was that all about for tonight?"

Bo replied, "There's a run tonight." He frowned and looked at his broken wrist, "Just not sure how he plans to work it with Luke not able to drive and this. Come on, I'm sure Jesse has a plan."

Daisy came in to start breakfast.

Jesse advised, "You likely won't have to fix much breakfast. The boys have to run to town and they will likely stop at the garage for breakfast."

Daisy nodded with a smile. "Alright Uncle Jesse." She knew Saturday's were normal catch up days, but Jesse always tried to make it where they'd all have a bit of free time too. She also knew the boys would prefer the breakfast of doughnuts and beer to anything she fixed.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

At the garage, Cooter was just unlocking the doors while still holding the box of fresh doughnuts in his hand as Jesse's pickup pulled in behind him. He turned to see Jeb on the driver's side as Bo and Luke were got out of the passenger side. "Hey, Hey. Well now if ya'll don't look like trouble this early in the morning."

Bo was first to help Cooter make sure the doughnuts found their normal spot on the work bench inside right next to the register. Bo, being Bo also managed to help himself to the first one from the box.

Luke on the other hand made his way to the refrigerator and grabbed two beers. He handed one to Cooter as he opened his own, then reached for a doughnut.

Cooter took a swig of his beer and said, "Thanks Luke. At least you handed me a beer before helping yourself." He said as he tried to give Bo a serious look.

Through a mouthful of Cooter's doughnuts, Bo managed to say, "Oh, sorry about that Cooter. Here." He dug back into the box and handed Cooter a doughnut.

"Thanks Bo. But I could have gotten it out of the box myself." Cooter laughed. He looked up to see Jeb being just a bit stand offish. "Dig in Jeb, I was only funnin' with Bo. Didn't mean ya'll weren't welcome or nothing. There is doughnuts here and pop and beer in the refrigerator."

Jeb looked at Bo, then Cooter, "I was just afraid I'd loose a hand if I reached too quick." He got a doughnut and headed for the refrigerator.

Bo said, "Grab me a beer too, Jeb."

Now this wasn't that unusual a thing to happen even if Bo was underage, but there was a couple things running through Luke's mind at the moment. Firstly, they usually stayed longer before returning to the farm. Secondly, if he let Bo have a beer, then he'd have to let Jeb. Thirdly, was the trouble that could cause for them all if Rosco stopped them or Jesse found out. Then, he thought that the only beer you could by in this County was nearly water. Jesse had not really said too much about them havin' a beer at the garage before. With a sigh he decided on a compromise, "Fellas, just one."

Jeb nodded, 'OK."

Bo frowned and looked at Luke like he'd lost his mind.

Even Cooter looked up surprised.

Luke explained, "Look Rosco is going to be watching me hard. I'm with you both. If you all are crossing any lines and are with me you are both chancing getting caught." Luke saw the looks that his younger cousins exchanged, as if they weren't concerned about Rosco. He'd have to spell things out for them, "Ya'll might not be concerned about him, but at the moment I pretty much am. If you all are underage and drinking not to mention driving, guess who is in more trouble that ya'll."

Cooter amazingly had picked up on Luke's line of thought and replied, "US." He knew since he'd provided the beer and he and Luke were the adults of the bunch that it wouldn't be good. Also, Rosco might never give them a second look on a Saturday morning heading back from picking up supplies. He knew as well as Luke did that Rosco would be looking to catch Luke driving the entire time his license was revoked.

Luke nodded 'yes' but said, "Or at least me since he is head hunting for me." He reached for the phone and called Ruebottoms. He placed the order for the roofing tin and nails. After the order was put in, Luke said, "Jeb if you run the truck over they will have it loaded while we finish breakfast."

Jeb ate the last bite of his doughnut and said, "Alright." He was just glad that the store loaded the order and they'd only have to unload it and then of course put it on the barn roof after carrying it up the ladder to get it there.

While Jeb took the pick up over to the general store, Cooter looked at Luke and asked, "So what all went on at the Boar's Nest that I missed before you nearly poled David?"

Luke shrugged, "You missed it? I thought everyone in three Counties knew about it."

Acting just a bit embarrassed, Cooter said, "I was just a bit to occupied with Beverly to worry about what you was doin'."

"The short version is Robin came in needing help with her car. I told her that synchronzier was going out, ..." Luke began.

"She hasn't had that changed yet?" Cooter asked.

Luke frowned, "No. Anyway when she came in I saw her before she saw you. I got the tools out of the wrecker and got her back on her way. Then I came back in and left with Ruby."

Cooter nearly choked on his beer, "RUBY? You left with Ruby? Man alive, ... if half the stories I have heard, ..." Cooter seen Luke's slight tilt of his head towards Bo and the returning Jeb.

Luke gave a bit of a grin, "Well, all I'm sayin' to that is, ... that's who I left with." He took a long drink of his beer.

Cooter admitted, while hoping to move the conversation a bit, "All I know is I came in and had no more got in the place when David yelled at you when you was dancing with Shelly."

"When you came in? Where'd you been?" Luke asked.

Cooter gave Luke a silly grin, "I told you me and Beverly were occupied."

"Yeah." Luke said, figuring just how occupied that they had been if he was just coming back in. he knew the wrecker had never left as he'd seen it and used tools off it.

Bo finished his beer and automatic reflexes turned him toward the refrigerator and Jeb, "You get a feelin' they ain't telling us everything?"

Jeb frowned as he took a drink of his own beer, "I thought it was only me who was left out of the conversation."

Luke frown and simply said, "Bo."

Bo had the beer in his hand and was ready to twist the top off, "What?"

Luke pointed to the beer. "One, remember? We don't need to be running in ditches or falling off the barn roof."

Bo frowned, "Well I ain't driving and won't be allowed on the roof."

"Just the same. We agreed on one. Besides, if we want to come back this afternoon, we need to be heading out." Luke finished his own beer ending the debate as he headed to the door followed by Bo.

Jeb frowned as he looked at his still half full beer. He'd gotten a late start because he took the truck to the store. He looked from the beer to his cousins who were already out the door. Then he saw Cooter.

Cooter said, better drink up they are leavin' ya.

"Yeah," Jeb said, not realizing HE had the truck keys and the guys couldn't leave him far behind. In true Duke fashion, Jeb turned the bottle up and finished it in one drink and tossed the empty in the trash. "Thanks, Cooter, we'll see ya later, most likely."

Cooter shook his head as he stood in the garage door and watched the three cousins heading for the general store, their truck, and hopefully home.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

You took this much time to read, please take a little more to tell me what you think and would like to see.


	32. My First Ticket

Chapter 32

As the boys were getting near half way home they were deep in conversation about who they planned to try to sit with at the church picnic Sunday after church. Spending the day in church wasn't their favorite way to spend a Sunday afternoon but if they had to be at church most of the day then they could at least make the best of it. Luke looked up just in time to see a speck of white in the thick bushes ahead. "Jeb slow up."

Jeb looked down and seen he was doing 55 mph on the nose. He frowned, "I'm doin' the limit."

"It don't matter. **Slow down**." Luke stressed just as they passed the hidden patrol car.

Bo seen why Luke had insisted Jeb slow down just them. "Ahhh, Jeese that's Rosco."

Luke replied said with a sigh as they were passing the patrol car, "Yeah, it is."

By now both Bo and Luke were turning to see what they knew was going on behind them.

Jeb had kept his speed at 55. He looked at his cousins like the were crazy. Jeb only seen the patrol car's front end as they passed it. He knew there was no reason for the law to stop them. They were legal and doing the limit. He thought that right up to the time he checked his mirror and seen the front of the patrol car on his bumper with it's lights on. "What's he doing? I ain't done nothin' wrong."

Bo and Luke replied together as they felt Jeb slowing down, "Loose him."

Now Jeb knew his cousins had lost their minds. His mother had always raised him to obey the law and respect officers. Surely they must be joking with him. "Do **WHAT**?"

Luke frowned. He was now seeing that Jeb had been raised a bit different than he and Bo. Luke knew he'd just got his license, but they had all driven before they got their licenses. It just dawned on him too that Jeb had likely never even been in a car that was trying to avoid the law before let alone try to run from someone. Luke swore, "Just stop. Pull over. Pull over Jeb."

"**WHAT**?" Bo said setting up tall between his two cousins. "Luke have you lost your mind? Ah, here we go." He said as he felt the truck pulling over.

Jeb had listened to Luke and his gut feelings. He slowed down, put on his turn signal and pulled to the shoulder of the road.

Rosco had been certain that the eldest Duke cousin was driving the pickup truck when he'd seen it go by. He knew Bo was still not able to drive the standard truck. He fully expected the truck to give him a run, but to his surprise it pulled over. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he seen it slowing and the signal light indicating that the vehicle was about to pull over. The Sheriff couldn't image why Luke would just pull over for him knowing that his license was revoked. But that didn't matter what mattered was he was about to get Luke Duke out of his hair for up to SIX months when he hadn't even been out of jail for twenty four hours yet. "Kew, Kew, Kew, ... I love it! I just love it. Police work is my life." Rosco cheerfully said as he got out of his patrol car. As he walked up to the drivers side door he was already talking, "Alright, now Luke Duke. You know that's a naughty naughty. So you are under arrest!" He giggled again.

Luke shook his head and leaned forward to look around his cousins, "Under arrest? For what?"

Only now does he see it is Jeb driving. "Ohhhhh, ohhhhh, um, oh, ... Luke? Your not driving. Why?" Before Luke could state the obvious, Rosco recovered himself. "Oh, nevermind that. Jeb Duke? Do you even have a license?"

Jeb found himself just a bit nervous as he replied to the Sheriff, "Yes, Sir."

Rosco motioned for him to proceed, "Well, just be getting it out there so I can see it and keep your hands where I can see them." His hand was resting on his pearl handle 38.

Jeb reached for the door handle so that he could get out of the pickup to get his wallet.

Rosco stepped back and nearly pulled his gun, "Now you just stay there and don't you threaten me none."

Luke seen what was going on, "Well, Rosco if you want his license then you are going to either have to let him out of the truck to get his wallet or he's gonna have to dig around in his back pocket for it."

"Now Luke Duke, you just hush now." Rosco said but reason had some how sank into his brain. "Jeb you just reach real slow with one hand for that wallet.

Jeb did as he was told, then handed over the license.

Rosco seen that the ink on the license was still wet on the license as it was only weeks old. "I need the registration too." Rosco giggled as he muttered, "Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Luke reached for the registration and handed over to Jeb.

Rosco giggled as he pulled out his ticket book. "I'm glad to see that you came all the way over from Placid County so that ol'e Rosco here could give you the first of what will likely be many tickets." He giggled some more.

"Ticket?" Jeb looked at Luke. None of them knew how much trouble he'd be in when his mother found out that he'd gotten a ticket. "For what?"

Luke held his hand up for Jeb not to provoke Rosco who was obviously giving him a ticket because he hadn't been able to arrest Luke for driving.

Rosco replied as he kept writing, "Speeding."

Bo sounded off, "Now that is bull and **you** know that Rosco."

Jeb looked from the Sheriff to Bo to Luke. He knew he had not been speeding and so did both Bo and Luke. Luke again motioned for him to cool it as he gave his head a slight shake, 'no'. Luke knew that under the circumstances the three would fair much better with Jesse with a minor speeding ticket than any of them going to jail for something Rosco exaggerated.

When Rosco finished the ticket and handed it to Jeb, he looked at it and frowned. He couldn't believe it. He looked to Luke and asked, "Can he really ticket me for going a half mile over the limit?"

Luke looked from giving Rosco a hard glare back to his younger cousin, "Yeah. Yeah, he can write ya for anything."

Rosco smiled a satisfied smile. "Now you boys have a good Saturday and slow it down a might."

Jeb waited until he saw the Sheriff get in his car, "Luke! I'm in deep trouble getting this ticket. Mom will ground me for life."

Luke advised, "Just pull out slow and easy. Head back to the farm. Rosco had to write you for something. Just be glad he didn't stretch the truth any more than he did. He only stopped ya beause he was hoping that I was driving."

Jeb pulled out as Luke advised. Real slow and easy. "But Luke, Mom will flip."

"Maybe not. We might not even have to tell her once we get home and tell Uncle Jesse. Besides, like I said, Rosco can write ya for anything, but he's got to get the Judge to up hold it. Everyone knows speedometers are only accurate at best to within five miles per hour." Luke said hopeful.

Bo complained, "But, Luke that was crap."

"Oh, I agree. But it beat him trying to arrest anyone, figuring out we'd all drank a beer, or deciding that we were hauling shine in mid day. That could have put us behind at least a couple hours. Let's get back to the farm and get that roof done. We'll tell Jesse all about this over lunch."

Jeb drove, but couldn't believe how calm Luke was about this whole thing.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse was just beginning to wonder what was keeping the boys when he heard the pickup coming up the drive way. By the time Jeb had backed it to the barn where the supplies would be close to the barn. Jesse made his way out to the barn to direct his three nephews in the repair of the roof and to insure that Bo remained on the ground even if he had to park the truck on him. At times it did take all that was in Jesse to keep his injuried nephew with the ground under both feet. He and Bo did all they could from the ground to help get the needed supplies up to Luke and Jeb on the barn roof. Several hours later the four men made their way to the old farm house for a bit of lunch.

The June day was a hot one so Daisy had made a light lunch of sandwich stuff, fresh veggie toppings, and a large jug of ice cold sun tea.

After washing up, everyone took their places at the table for grace to be said. Lunch was eaten without much conversation. Finally as everyone was relaxing a few minutes to another glass of tea, Luke began, "Uncle Jesse on the way home from town today something happened that you need to know about."

Jesse frowned. If it had been something serious, then he should already know about it. He waited for Luke, the oldest, who had been a self appointed spokes person for them all since he could talk.

Luke began, "We were about half way home when I saw a bit of white in the trees. I told Jeb to slow down."

Jeb looked up at Luke thinking that his cousin was about to get him in deeper trouble than he was.

"He was going the limit, fair and square. But, I knew if he didn't get it slowed up we'd get pulled for sure. Heck, we'd still most likely got pulled, as Rosco came up to the truck he was certain I was driving. I was on the passenger side." Luke paused and let that sink in. "Once he seen I was indeed not driving he had to write us for something. He wrote Jeb a ticket for a **half** mile over the limit."

"He WHAT! Well, that pea brain ...!" Jesse remarked. He sighed, "I'll talk to Judge Hardcastle before Friday." Jesse said, as Friday's were the day the Judge heard all the traffic ticket information.

Jeb looked surprised. "Uncle Jesse? I'm not in trouble?"

Jesse had nearly forgotten that Jeb was unfamiliar with Hazzard County. Rosco Coltrane was a good law man but it seemed that every since JD Hogg had taken office he was trying every way he could to influence the Sheriff. "Now Jeb, I know your parents raised you right just like I have these here boys, but the law is a bit different here. First off, I believe you boys when you tell me you was going the limit. I don't think the ticket will stand in court second of all. Thirdly, I think Rosco wrote it knowing both those things just to 'save face' because he was certain that Luke there was driving."

Jeb looked at Jesse uncertain, "But my mother will have a fit. I'll be grounded for life for this ticket."

Jesse smiled a bit, "Let me deal with your mother. Leave it up to me after we see what happens Friday and stop worrying."

"Yes, Sir." Jeb replied, still not sure how his uncle could stop her wrath.

After the lunch things had been put away and the others had made their own way off toward things that they wanted or needed to do, Luke hung back. Jesse watched as his oldest hung back on the porch with him instead of joining the others. "Something bothering you, Luke?"

Luke leaned against the banister of the porch with a defeated sigh, "Yeah, there is. I know you have a run planned for tonight. With Bo's broke hand and me not able to drive, ... "

Jesse interupted, "You're right, but Jeb can drive and he's under age."

Luke had thought that Jesse may be thinking along those lines. "Uncle Jesse, I'd never down another Duke and if that's what it seems I'm doing, that is not my intent. Today when Rosco got after us, me and Bo suggested rather strongly that he loose him... Uncle Jesse it was more than obvious that Jeb has never even been in a car that had no intention of stopping for the law, let alone be driving it. As soon as I seen this I told him to pull over."

Jesse took all this in. He knew that Pauline had been a big influence over all the kids but had thought for sure that John had at least shown Jeb a thing or three about running the law. That there would surely be a monkey wrench in Jesse's plan for the night run. "Thanks Luke. I'll talk to Jeb and John if needed."

Seeing that Jesse had ended the conversation, Luke replied, "Yes, Sir."

The boys spent most of the afternoon at the garage with Cooter tinkering on Luke's car and with the wrecker. They also had passed time talking about girls while cooling off with a beer or three. They made it home just in time to get cleaned up for dinner.

Jesse had indeed talked to his younger brother and found out that Luke had indeed been correct. As the dishes were being stacked and the table cleared, Jesse finished his coffee and said, "Jeb let's take us a ride."

"Sure Uncle Jesse. Where are we going?" Jeb asked.

"No where in particular." Jesse said as he grabbed his red cap and headed out the door past the pick up.

Jeb was behind him but now even more confussed than ever.

From the kitchen window Luke, Bo and Daisy watched as the two headed to the barn. Luke smiled. "They are gonna take Tilly."

Jesse went to the back side of the barn and grabbed the tarp that covered the moonrunner. Jesse then tossed the keys to Jeb. "You drive."

"Uncle Jesse are you sure you want me to drive Tilly?" Jeb asked. He'd always heard stories about this car but never thought that he'd be in the driver's seat.

Jesse looked at Jeb, "I'm more than certain I want you drive Tilly. The others have had their chance behind the wheel. Now it is your turn."

Jeb got in and carefully started toward the driveway.

Jesse pointed to the back forty, "Head out that way."

"Yes, Sir." Jeb said. He was trying to impress his Uncle as a good driver and was staying to the faint path that was there. He was driving pretty slowly and very carefully.

About half way across the field Jesse said, "Speed up a bit and don't worry so much about hanging to this here path."

Jeb nodded and sped up some.

"A bit more." Jesse figured they were at a good speed now. "Ok hold your speed and gently turn your wheel to the left and then back to the right back again. Not to fast or steep. Just do it a couple times to get the feel of the car."

Jeb looked at Jesse a bit confussed.

Jesse explained, "Getting a car from one point to another safely is great. But to drive a car, really drive it, you need to be able to feel the car. Sorta drive it by the seat of your pants."

Jeb tried to do what Jesse was telling him but wasn't exactly sure what he meant.

Finally Jesse said, "Pull over at that there oak tree. Let's trade places a few minutes."

After trading places, Jesse got the car to the same speed Jeb had it and began to turn the wheel back and forth gently rocking the car from side to side. "See what I'm doing? Can you feel the weight shift?"

Jeb replied, "Yes, Sir."

"Alright, see it rocks but doesn't flip or lean too much. I know I can turn it about this far. Anything more extreme and it will lean further than I want. Now I'll just get it up a little more, then I'm going to hit the brakes and turn her sharp." Jesse advised.

Jeb watched as Jesse sped up, hit the brake and turned the wheel sharp to the left. The car went into a slide and by the time it stopped it was facing where they had came from. "Wow!"

"That there is a bootleg turn. Ever want to throw some mud behind you. Hold the brake a bit as you pull out." Jesse did so. Tilly's tires dug into the mud and slung dirt, small rocks and grass everywhere behind the car. "Now before we leave here today, you're gonna show me how to do those three things. First, you got to get back over here and get a feel for this car. She has power, but when you are in the drivers seat you control it."

Jeb wasn't at all certain he could do this, but he was willing to try.

After a couple of hours out in the field, Jesse once again took the drivers' seat. He simply told Jeb, "Hang on." Jesse put Tilly through a couple of slides, skids, bootleg turns before heading back toward the house.

Jeb expected Jesse to stop out the house, but instead he grab another gear causing Tilly to fish tail throught the yard to the driveway.

As Jesse passed the farm house Luke, Bo and Daisy noticed him driving much like he cautioned them not to drive. As Jesse neared main road he made sure nothing was coming then fish tailed onto the main road. Jesse headed for Rosco's favorite location for his evening nap. He purposely rocked the patrol car as he flew by.

Rosco shot straight up in the drivers seat after being rudely awaken from his nap. He was just in time to see Jesse Duke's moonrunner, Tilly pass him. He swore, "That ole Coot!" He started the car, hit the lights and siren and took off after the runner. Rosco was already in action before he realized that it was still evening. He could count the times on one hand that he'd seen these runners on the road in the daylight hours, but all that didn't matter now. He had a Duke to chase.

Jeb looked back behind them when he heard the siren, "Uncle Jesse there is a police car back there."

Jesse grinned. He'd actually slowed a might after rocking Rosco's world just so the Sheriff could get behind him. "I see him." Jesse said calmly.

"But, shouldn't you stop?" Jeb asked.

Jesse replied, "He, he, he. Not after I went to all this trouble to get him behind me."

"You wanted him to stop you?" Jeb asked.

"No, I wanted him behind me so I can show you how to loose him." Jesse explained.

Jeb was still a bit confused. "Say what? This wouldn't be like what Bo and Luke suggested I do when Rosco stopped me would it?"

"This is exactly what they were telling you to do." Jesse continued to talk to his youngest of his three nephews as he calmly drove Tilly down the dirt at speeds between fifty five and sixty miles per hour. He was keeping his speed down for two reasons: the first would be that he didn't want Jeb driving at speeds he couldn't handle and secondly he wasn't ready to loose Rosco just yet. "One thing you should know Jeb. I could probably out run Rosco on a straight out run. But, I want to show you how to out drive him not out run him." Jesse turned off road through an open field.

Rosco had to brake hard and nearly lost the car when he turned into the field.

Jesse was watching the mirrors while Jeb was looking out the back window. "See how he nearly lost the car then. He swung to hard too fast. He was braking harder than I was also. The car behind you is always at a disadvantage. First it has to go faster than you to keep up. Second, you know what you intend to do. If you catch them off guard they have to see what you did, then they have to react to it and try to follow you or counter what you did. See if he was thinking, he could have stayed on the road there went around the bend there and been here, " Jesse said as he pulled the car back onto the road way, "Before I got here. Thing is he's over eager to catch me so he didn't think. Now, had he stayed on the road an tried to cut me off, I just might have had to double back on him and come out where I went in at. That's another thing, you got to know the land. Not just the roads but the land. Take that there field there," he pointed to a field where the corn was nearly knee high. " In the fall or winter I'd have taken that field and crossed out to the back road of the lake, but look at that corn. Mr. Parker has a good looking crop there and I wouldn't cut through it unless I really had no other choice."

Jeb looked as Rosco had gotten back on the main road finally and now seemed to be gaining on Jesse, "Uhhh, Uncle Jesse, he's gaining on you."

Jesse looked up as if he'd forgotten about Rosco, "So he is. Well not for long."

Jeb saw the road construction signs just up ahead. Then a road closed sign. "The road is closed."

Jesse kept his speed up, swerved around the road closed sign, crossed the ditch and put Tilly on the bank. He went through the contruction area and back on to the road with practiced ease.

Jeb was shocked at how easy Jesse made that look, then turned back to watch Rosco follow Jesse across the ditch line up on to the bank and promptly land on his top as the patrol car rolled down the bank.

Jesse stopped and seen Rosco climb out with shaking his fist at Jesse. "Well, he's alright. Get on the CB there and tell Cooter that ole Rosco has fipped his lid out here at the construction site. That was a bit uncalled for I'll admit but we got to get back to the farm. We need to get loaded and out of here soon."

Jeb called for Cooter to bring the wrecker while he and Jesse drove back to the farm without incident.

At the farm, Jesse looked from Bo to Luke. "Now here's what I have planned. Jeb here is gonna drive Luke's car and we'll go get Tilly loaded up. I really think he needs to go with me tonight. So, here's what we'll do once we get loaded. Bo you will be driving back out and I want you all to just drive around out to the lake, maybe toward the Boar's Nest to anywhere you'll get attention."

Bo frowned and reminded, "Uncle Jesse I can't drive and change gears with this here lump of plaster on my arm."

"I said you'd drive. Luke there will be changing your gears." Jesse said.

Something from Luke's childhood came back to him. "Like I used to do for you?" He remembered setting on Jesse's lap and steering when he wasn barely more than a toddler, but as he got older Jesse taught him to listen to the engine and watch for him to hit the clutch and Luke would change the gears for him long before he was old enough to drive.

"Exactly. Now Daisy here is where you come in. I want you to make a phone call after you get to work and hear us on the radio. You call the Sheriff's department and report that you saw Luke driving. You can even tell them you know they are loaded with shine." Jesse said.

Luke nodded. He knew that was all it would take to get every law man in the Tri-County area heading their way and also that if they thought they were loaded with shine it would keep them busy searching the car. "Bo you wear my jacket and I'll take that yellow shirt you're always wearing over your shirts and I'll get our cowboy hats."

Bo looked at Jesse and Luke. "Are ya'll sure about this?"

Jesse and Luke grinned a bit. Luke replied, "It will keep them busy for awhile that's for sure."

"But with Luke shifting gears and me driving there is probably no way that we can out run or out drive them." Bo added.

Jesse replied, "That's pretty much the point. Ya'll just do what you can to take them for a ride. I don't care that you get stopped as long as Luke there is on the passenger side of that car and there is no shine in it. Jeb will get to go on his first shine run. Ya'll will play decoy and it might only cost us a speeding ticket." Knowing how much the load was worth that he'd be delivering out of state tonight, Jesse was willing to take that chance.

Now, Bo had ran the law and lost them several times, but unlike Luke who was good at playing the decoy he'd never gotten stopped on purpose. "But, ...?" he questioned.

Luke advised, "I'll be with ya, Cuz. It will be fine."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Found a new path for this story to take. I hope ya'll enjoy. Let me know with reviews. I proof read this, but can not get spell check to work. Forgive any spelling errors this time. Thanks.


	33. Twists and Turns

NOTE: If you are reading my story as well as JadedPhoenixBurning stories and notice some of the same characters, we have talked about this and though the stories aren't related at this point and do stand on their own, we have used the same name for the town near Jeb's home in Placid County as well as for his parents and sisters. Hope that you enjoy both our stories and send words of encouragement along the way.

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Chapter 33

At the still sight Jeb and Bo were still a bit unsure of the planned events of the night, though Jesse and Luke were certain they would work out fine.

NARRARTOR: "They all seem to forget that this is Hazzard County and things never go as planned for anyone."

Jeb asked Bo, "Do you think this will work?"

Bo sighed, "I don't know. I hope so. I've never done this before."

"Me neither." Jeb said.

Luke passed by carrying another box that contained 4 gallon jugs of Jesse's finest. "Would ya'll stop worrying. You're both under age. Worst case for ya'll is they call Jesse or your folks to come get ya'll."

That was the first time since telling Jesse about the ticket that Jeb had worried about his parents. Well, more so his mother. "Ah, geesh, don't get me thinking about Mom knowing anything about this. I'm not even sure that Dad would be happy about it."

Luke being the oldest knew just a bit more of Jeb's father than Jeb did, "What? Uncle John is great. He'd likely love to be right in the middle of this. Especially since it is your first shine run."

Before Jeb could respond or think about what Luke had said, Jesse said. "Alright boys we're loaded. Now, me and Jeb will give you boys a ride back to the Torino."

Once at the Torino, Jesse watched as Bo, who was now wearing Luke's gray cowboy hat and blue jean jacket got in the Torino. While Luke, who was wearing Bo's yellow shirt and black cowboy hat got in the passenger side of his car. Bo started the car while Luke put it in first gear. Bo pulled onto the road and though they shifted into second gear with unpracticed movements the car did get put into second and continued down the road. Jesse now swung wide and passed his nephews heading toward the County and State line. He picked up the CB and radioed, "Shepard to Lost Sheep."

"Lost Sheep here." Luke replied.

"Ya'll best be getting on back here to the farm. We's got a big day tomorrow." Jesse said.

Luke replied, "10-4."

That was Daisy's signal to make her phone call. She eased to the pay phone unnoticed by any one in the bar. After having the operator connect her to the Sheriff's Department and hearing Rosco answer, she began, "Sheriff Coltrane, I thought you'd like to know, that no good Luke Duke is driving a load of shine out to somewhere on the lake tonight."

"He's driving? He's behind the wheel of the vehicle?" Rosco eagerly asked.

"Yes, he just passed me and I'd know that no good, low down, ..." Daisy didn't get to finish her statement as the line went dead. She laughed at the mental image of seeing Rosco tripping over himself to go catch Luke driving.

Once Rosco got in the spare patrol car while his was at Cooter's being repaired, he radioed, "All officers in the Tri County area. This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane and I have a report of that Luke Duke is driving a load of shine out near the lake. His license are revoked."

Hearing that broadcast, Bo swore, "Sh-! That's gonna have everyone crawling on us."

Luke grinned, "That's the plan."

"Great." Bo said.

It wasn't long before Rosco found Luke Duke's Torino cruising down the lake road. Bo sped up and said to Luke, "Back shift."

Listening to the engine and unable to see Bo hit the clutch in the dark, Luke went from fourth gear to neutral and heard the gears grin as he tried for third. "Sh-! Put the clutch in."

"It is in." Bo fumed.

Luke tried again and the car went into third but slowed down instead of increasing speed as Bo had planned. Rosco was now on their back bumper wondering why the car had slowed down, only now to see it picking up speed again. "Ohhh, ohhh, ohhhh! What are they doin'? They are tryin' to trick me in to thinking that they were gonna stop. Well, stop or not no one gets away from Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane!" Rosco gripped the steering wheel just a might harder.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse and Jeb were just nearing the Hazzard County line. So far they hadn't seen hide not hair of any law or ATF agents. Jesse had been explaining the various moves he'd made with Tilly and more importantly why he had done so. They were nearing a bridge just before the Placid County line. Jesse reached over and shut his head lights off. The brake lights and tail lights had already been shut off when he left the farm.

"Did you mean to do that?" Jeb asked.

Jesse's grin was still visible in the moonlight as he laughed, "Yes, I did. There is a bridge up ahead. It is watched for runners from across the line. So if they can't see us then they won't be looking for us on the other side."

Jeb may not have been on a run before but he wasn't stupid either. "With this moonlight won't the car still be seen crossing the bridge?" He asked his experienced uncle.

"Not if we don't use the bridge." Just as Jesse said this he turned Tilly off the road onto a moon-runner trail that he knew about. It took them off road and away from the main route down stream.

Jeb trusted his uncle with his life and about now thought that he may be doing just that as they headed off into darkness, off road without the use of the headlights.

Jesse reached the river crossing and eased Tilly through the shallow part of the river using care not to get stuck on the rocks of the river bed or drop off into a deeper section of water. Once out of the river, Jesse hit the brakes, pumped them a few times then rode them awhile to dry them out. "Cars are funny things. Give me one that doesn't run great and I'll deal with it just as long as it stops when I need it to. You've got to make sure that you dry the brakes out once you go through water like that before you need them."

Jeb was setting on the edge of his seat watching and listening to everything Jesse was telling him.

They were getting close to the town of Tranquil in Placid County so Jesse had turned on all his lights and was running a respectable speed just under the limit. As he rounded a sharp curve he passed a car head on that he knew very well. "Set back and hold on." Jesse advised as he watched the mirrors on the car.

Agent Andy Roach had gotten Rosco's message about Luke driving with a revoked license and having a load of shine on him. He had been to Atlanta earlier and had just came through Tranquil in Placid County when he saw a car that he knew all too well. Now the younger Duke boy may or may not be driving it but that was Jesse Duke's moon-runner, Tilly. He hit the brakes and turned before he had time to think about not going on the report of the younger Duke driving. That was a runner and it was loaded. Sure Jesse ran overload shocks but even they managed to sag a bit when he was loaded to the hilt.

Jesse seen the tan sedan turn on him just like he knew that it would. He now began to speed up. The speed limit was the least of his problems at the moment.

Jeb turned to see the car turn around and get behind them. "Friend of yours?"

"As a matter of fact he is, but that won't stop him from doing his job. I just didn't need to see a ATF man tonight." Jesse said grabbing another gear.

"ATF?" Jeb asked with out even considering how a person could try to arrest you and still be your friend.

Jesse replied wishing they would have passed him in Hazzard and not in Placid County, "Federal man. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms."

"Revenuer?" Jeb questioned.

Jesse nodded, "Revenuer."

Jeb was not any happier than Jesse was right now. "What are you going to do?"

"Just keep driving and hope our luck don't run out." Jesse said.

Jeb couldn't help but think that the Dukes had seen their fair share of bad luck lately with Luke's arrest, revoked license and Bo's broken hand.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Bo had again managed to get the car's RPM's right for Luke to shift to fourth gear, pick up a bit more speed then Luke back shifted to gain momentum and even more speed faster.

Rosco was having a good night. From what he could see by the head lights it did indeed look to be Luke Duke driving his car. He wasn't getting overly excited tonight. He had even called in anyone one listening to assist. Rosco finally had a chance to get a Duke running shine. Just getting the credit for an arrest may be enough to help convince the voters when time came to vote to pass the levy to ensure his pension for all the years that he'd put in for the County.

Bo looked behind him. He was beginning to sweat. He felt like a fish out of water not being able to change the gears and was having to fight to control the natural reaction at each gear change.

Luke on the other hand was the older, more experienced of the two on shine runs. Having to set on the passenger side made him feel like a fish out of water. He knew part of Jesse's plan was for them to let themselves be caught so everyone was busy searching the car not out combing the area for them and accidentally run up on Jesse and Jeb. Letting themselves get caught proved to be harder on the two young men and their pride than the times they had tried to avoid getting caught. Another missed gear for them and Rosco was literally on their bumper. Feeling the jerk of his car Luke complained, "Dang it Bo!"

"IN case you didn't notice, it was you that missed that there gear." Bo reminded.

Luke knew that fact without being reminded but it was easier to blame it on Bo at least at that given second. Luke slide out the window without discussion. He crossed the top of the car which made Bo slow just a bit as he worried about his cousin on the top of his car. At the driver window Luke said, "Move. I'm coming in."

From behind Rosco seen what he thought was Bo going over the top of the car. He figured they were trying to pull a fast one and get Luke out of the driver's seat.

Bo glared at him, "No way!"

Luke frowned, "I'm not jokin' Bo move it over."

"It's your car Luke. You should be able to shift it blind folded. Now get in here and shift these gears or I'll have to do it myself." Bo bluffed. He wasn't at all sure that he could get the car any further than knocking it from fourth gear to neutral. Then they would be a setting duck for sure. Bo was loosing speed and needed to back shift again to third to get some distance between him and Rosco before the Sheriff joined him in the front seat of the Torino.

Luke was still on top of the car at the driver's window.

"Have it your way." Bo said as he hit the clutch and did manage to get the car into third gear but his RPM's weren't right and the car lurched to a much slower speed. Bo cursed out load.

Luke had lost his hold and nearly went over the windshield onto the hood at best. He was able to get a hold at the last second and swore his own self, "I'm coming. I'm coming back in."

Bo didn't have time to wait and grabbed the shifter just as Luke was coming back in the window. The pushing of the gear shifter had been awkward to get it from fourth to third, but the pulling motion to get the shifter from third to neutral with his still injured hand proved both painful and impossible. He got it from third into neutral as the pain hit. The pain erased the blonde Duke's determination right there. He let go of the shift and swore loudly in pain.

Luke hadn't even seen what happened but the sound of the engine slowing and Bo's howl of pain told it all and his tail got back in the seat. He seen that Bo had instinctively grabbed the right wrist with the left and had his eyes closed tightly trying to compose himself.

Luke lunged for the steering wheel to at least keep the car on the road. "Bo you've got to drive this or we're gonna have that bad night you was trying to avoid. Hit the clutch and go."

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Placid County, US of A. The night was quiet with only the summer sounds of frogs, crickets and a light breeze blowing as John Duke laid awake. His wife and twin baby daughters had long been in bed and he certainly hoped were all sound asleep and stayed that way. He was glad that Karen, their oldest was at a friends house tonight. John gently set up and made his way out of the bedroom boots in hand. He hoped that if anyone heard him stirring around that they would think that he was going to the restroom or the kitchen. As he did indeed get to the back door of the kitchen he gently opened it willing it not to squeak. He stepped out on to the back porch where he'd purposely put a pair of jeans and a shirt right after Jesse had called him earlier. Once he was dressed, he reached up on the window shutter for the key to Traveler. He quickly walked to the back of the barn and opened the rarely opened section of his barn. For years after he got married every time he'd got anywhere near this car his wife had given him grief. But tonight was just one of those nights that he was glad that he'd stole a bit of time when Pauline was away to keep old Traveler all tuned up and ready. Now he knew he what he was ready for. John got in the car, fired it up and eased it out of the barn and toward town. As he reached the main road he turned on the CB that he had only a year or so put in the car. He flipped to the channel that he'd often heard Bo and Luke talk about being Shepard's channel. "Traveler to Shepard."

Jesse's eyes grew wide and so did the grin on his face. He may have a Federal ATF agent behind him with no blocker, but suddenly the odds seemed a bit better. "Well now, Traveler it has been a long time." Jesse said with ease.

"That it has. Where are you?" John asked.

Jeb had never heard his Dad use that CB handle before but he'd almost swear that it was him on the other end of the radio.

Not ever wanting to give an exact location on the CB Jesse replied, "I'll be in 'town' in about two shakes. Should be by your place shortly."

Hearing Jesse's reply, Jeb had to ask, "Is that my Dad?"

Jesse grinned, "It sure is."

John asked, "Everything alright?" Something had given him a bad feeling. He hoped that it was only because his only son was in the runner for the first time heading toward him.

"Fine, just fine, other than the company I got. He just popped up out of no where." Jesse said calmly.

John caught Jesse's meaning but tried to down play it as he also tried to figure what he and Traveler could do to help. "I hate when family does that."

"Well, if'n it were family I'd always welcome it." Jesse said. He hoped that if anyone heard this they would think that he had an unwanted house guest. He knew that his younger brother would pick up that he'd welcome any help he could get about now.

John grinned. He knew he was a lot closer to Jesse, Jeb and Tilly than they knew. It had also been a long time between runs for Jesse's baby brother and frankly he missed the adrenaline of a good chase. "Well, now it's good to know that family is always welcome. Never know when I just may drop in on ya."

Jesse checked his mirrors and hated to admit what he was about to even to himself, "Well, now the sooner the better. I've missed ya."

Keeping up the banter between each other, John replied, "Well, now I might just have to come get rid of that unwanted house guest so they'd be room for me to visit a spell."

As Jeb was listening to the brothers calmly talk, he looked from the Agent's car back to the road ahead. That's when he saw a sight up ahead he'd never seen on the road before...

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Bo heard Luke but the words didn't make it through the pain until a split second later than it should have. He hit the clutch only as he heard the gears grinding as Luke was trying to get the car moving aggressively forward.

Once Bo hit the clutch, Luke was forced to go to second to get the car moving again. Just as he did so, he looked up to see Deputy Petticord's car pull in front of them. "Christ Bo! RIGHT!"

Bo swung right without thinking as he also hit the clutch and the brake trying to avoid the Deputy in front of him.

Luke hoped the clutch was in as he threw the car into first gear. Something worked as the car transmission roared into first gear. By some chance the boys missed the police car.

Rosco had been right on their bumper and slide to a stop only inches away from the Torino.

Luke had already ducked just knowing that the Sheriff was going to take out the entire side of his car.

Rosco was out of the car and could see the familiar jean jacket of Luke Duke's in the drivers side. He wasn't sure how or why he had been able to catch the young man but at the moment all that mattered was he had managed to catch him driving the vehicle. Not letting himself think about what this would mean to the family in the long run if his information was correct the two did have a trunk full of shine, the Sheriff got out of his car with his hand on his pearl handled 38 pistol. He was heading to the passenger side of the Torino.

Deputy Petticord was also out of the car moving to the drivers side of the car.

By the time the boys realized that they had gotten the car stopped, that the Sheriff had not hit them, and gotten their eyes opened their small world was a sea of flashing blue lights. Luke sighed deeply and swore under his breath, then said, "Bo just play it cool and stay calm."

Deputy Petticord was at the driver's door. "Alright, slow and easy. Out of the car."

Bo had only thought he felt butterflies in his stomach when the Johnson twins were around. Now he knew for sure what they felt like. He opened the door slowly and got out of the car as directed.

"Out of the car Bo Duke." Rosco said from the passenger side.

Only when Luke turned to Rosco in the flashing lights did Rosco see that it was not Luke driving. "What are you doing over here? You are supposed to be driving this here thing. It is your car!"

Luke replied, "No I ain't. My license is revoked remember."

The Sheriff replied with a bunch of gibberish, before he looked over the car to see Bo Duke wearing Luke's jacket. "Why are you wearing Luke's jacket?"

Bo had to try twice to find his voice to answer, "I was cold."

"Oh good grief!" Rosco exclaimed. He knew no one was cold on a summer night like tonight. "Just, ... just open up that there trunk."

Luke looked from Bo to the Sheriff and calmly asked, "Got a warrant?"

Bo froze. He didn't want to not do as the Sheriff directed but he wasn't going to go against Luke either.

Rosco replied, "Don't need one. I got enough reason to believe ya'll is hauling shine. Now your Dukes, you didn't stop for me and its far too late for ya'll to just be out here for a drive. Now open it up."

Luke acted reluctant to agree but finally told Bo, "Well, you may as well open the trunk."

Rosco's mouth was watering as Bo got the keys out of the ignition and came to the back of the car. Between shaking from being nervous and trying to use his left hand to get the key in the lock of the trunk with only the lights from head lights and the blue flashing lights he wasn't going quick enough for Rosco. He moved over and took the keys from Bo, "Just move over there with Luke where Deputy Petticord can watch ya. I'll get this." With that the trunk opened and Rosco she, "Ah HA! Just what I knew I'd find! Moon, ... tool boxes?"

Luke looked as innocent as he did when he was two, "Yeah, tool boxes."

Rosco frowned. "Well it's got to be here somewhere."

Luke leaned back on the Sheriff's car, crossed his feet and arms. "Ain't nothing back there but tools and some camping stuff."

Rosco had seen runners have hidden compartments in the before so he started looking around the trunk for one, then he checked the back seat.

Bo knew there was no shine in Luke's car but just watching the Sheriff searching it made him more than a bit nervous.

Rosco wasn't able to find anything obvious so he returned to the car and got on the radio to see where the agents were. As Duke luck was holding lately there was a few within minutes of the them that had been coming to help look for the car that Rosco now had stopped.

When the agents pulled up Bo looked at Luke, "What is going on?"

"We're gonna be her while." Luke replied.

That answer didn't do anything to help Bo's anxiety. He was all too ready to get back on the road home. He couldn't believe what he was seeing as seats and door panels were removed. The trunk had long since been emptied of its contents. As the hood of the car was opened, Bo looked at Luke, "Luke it's gonna take us all night to get this back together."

Rosco heard Bo added, "After we find that there shine and arrest ya, you won't have to worry about putting it back together for several years."

Luke made sure Rosco was back at the car and shot Bo an amused look.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Setting on the side of the road Jeb saw his Dad's 1958 Chrysler. Sure he'd seen his dad take it out around the farm and tinker with it when his mother wasn't around, but he'd never seen it on the road before.

As Jesse passed his younger brother, John put Traveler in motion getting out behind Tilly just seconds before Agent Roach got to him.

Andy Roach's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he seen the black Chrysler jump out in front of him. He knew the car, well. He also knew John Duke lived in Placid County but he was sure the man had gotten ride of that car long ago. He hadn't even heard anyone talk about it in at least a dozen years now. Roach put his foot further to the floor. He knew his night just got even more complicated with two Duke brothers ahead of him. This also confirmed what he'd expected, Jesse Duke was loaded to the hilt with moonshine.

John was having a ball blocking the agent and holding him back from gaining on Jesse.

Jeb was watching his Dad from Tilly, "Wow! I didn't know Dad could drive like that! Or that the old car could still run."

Jesse laughed out loud at his innocent nephew, "Don't count cars or people out just cause they got a little age on them. That also means theys got experience!" He said as he again shut off his lights, rounded a curve and ducked off road into a grove of pine trees. Jesse weaved in and out of the pines in the dark better than most people could have in the daylight.

John seen Jesse duck off road so he kept to the main road hoping the agent was far enough back not to have seen him leave the road. He planned on letting the agent follow him for several miles before he too ducked off road and lost the agent. Hopefully buying Jesse enough time to get gone.

Jeb noticed that his dad didn't follow, "Why didn't Dad follow us?"

Jesse replied, "He's given old Andy a ride."

"What if he gets caught?" Jeb asked.

"He won't." Jesse said confidently before explaining. "Son, that car has got an engine! It's a 392 Hemi under that hood. Besides, were he to stop he has no shine in there. An agent ain't gonna even waste his time trying to get someone to write him a ticket for speeding. That's about all he'd really done." Jesse laughed.

Jeb hoped his uncle was right.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

A few miles away at the Duke farm in Placid County... A sleepy Pauline Duke, John's wife, woke to a crying baby. When she turned over she noticed her husband was not in bed and thought that maybe he had beat her to their daughter's room but she didn't hear him. With both their oldest children gone, Pauline put on her robe and headed to the girls room. She found not one awake crying baby but now two. She spoke to the girls trying to comfort them so she could get to the kitchen for the bottles. Things had been much simpler with Karen and Jeb as she had breast fed but with the girls being twins she and John David had thought it would be much easier to bottle feed the girls so that everyone could pitch in. At least that had been the plan, but tonight it seemed she was on her own. Karen was at a friends. Jeb was in Hazzard County with his Uncle Jesse and heavens only knew where John David had gotten off to. Maybe he couldn't sleep in the heat and had made his way to the porch swing where he couldn't hear the girls. She'd worry about where he was just as soon as she got the infant twins back to sleep. Pauline got them somewhat comforted and left to go heat their bottles. She saw no sign of her husband as she got the bottles and returned to the hungry infants. She propped both bottles long enough to change their diapers then picked up both girls and set down in the oversized rocker to rock them while they took their bottles. After burping both girls and getting them settled back in their bassinet, Pauline was just heading for the porch when she heard a car engine. She thought that she recognized it though it had been years since she had heard the car even fire up. Brushing the curtain of the front door back she saw now head lights as the sound of the engine got closer. Pauline waited. Only when she got a glimpse of the car in the moonlight did she flip on the porch light...

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A few words of encouragement are welcome. Please review to let me know what you think.


	34. Late Hours of the Night

Thanks to all that are reading and especially those who took the time to review.

Vector 426 - Thanks for all your reviews. Yes, Jeb may not know how lucky he is for this experience until a few years later. Of course Bo and Luke have also taken this trip before. I just could not see John staying at home on a night like tonight or that he'd ever gotten rid Traveler. You are on the money with Traveler being Jerry Rushing's car. The original Duke boy that sold his story to Warner Brothers and the movie, "Moonrunners" (1958 I think) was made where none other than Ben Jones played the revenuer that caught the pack mule. From these ideas, Dukes was born. I talked to Jerry Rushing at a couple of the Duke Fests and he claims to have ran over a million gallons of shine in his Traveler. I asked him if he was familiar with McDowell County, WV and named some towns and places near my home. He smiled and said he'd been through here a time or two. As for Bo and Luke, this is one of those times that as older teens they are having to learn to be team players that neither are one man shows. Just as it was planned they'd run the law a bit then let themselves be stopped, yet their pride got in the way and add the pressure of the situation - well it's a good thing they weren't loaded. Thanks again for the review.

Chapter 34

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Bo and Luke had been held up for over two hours and Luke was beginning to get tired of seeing his pride and joy's parts spread out all over the lake road. He was about to voice just that when he noticed one of the younger ATF agents motion for the Sheriff.

Away from where Bo and Luke were being watched by Deputy Petticord, the young agent said, "It's clean."

"It can't be." Rosco said as he began to explain, "You see I got this tip, and, ... and, ..."

"This was also the tip that told you the wrong man was driving?" The agent asked.

Rosco stuttered, "No! ... Well, ... um, ... well, ... you it's just that, ... ah, ... shoot!"

The younger agent said, "Have a nice night fellas." As he gave the Dukes word they could leave while the contents of the car remained on the side of the road.

Bo was all too happy to just grab the stuff and put if back together later. Bo started toward the car...

Luke held up his hand and stopped Bo dead in his tracks. "I'm sure we will have a very nice night watching ya'll put MY car back EXACTLY the way you found it."

Bo's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he looked at Luke, who was obviously NOT kidding.

Both the agents and Rosco knew they were obligated to put the car back together, but had hoped the Dukes would be just glad to be released. Exchanging looks with each other, Rosco finally said, "Shoot! Put it together again. Just like you found it. Petticord get over here and help us. We may still have time to make something out of this night if we hurry."

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse, Jeb and Tilly crossed the state line about an hour after they left John and Traveler. They had experienced no other problems. It wasn't long before Jesse pulled into a road house out in the middle of no where. Jesse advised, "Just stay close and quiet. Let me do the talkin'."

Jeb nodded as he got out his side of the car.

Jesse went first to the back door and met with the owner or the man who had placed the order. He watched as Jesse tucked an envelop in his pocket.

The man then looked behind Jesse, "I see you have you some help tonight. Ya'll come on around after ya get unloaded."

"Obliged." Jesse replied.

Jeb helped Jesse get the trunk load of shine unloaded as quickly as they could.

Jesse pulled around the front of the building. "We ain't stayin' long so stick with me."

Inside Jeb noticed that the bar seemed to have a lot of service men in it and some young women that even he would know not to take home to 'Momma'.

The man who had given Jesse the envelope asked, "Anything I can arrange for you or your friend?"

Jesse replied, "A beer for me. A cheeseburger, fries and Coke for my nephew."

The man smiled. He liked doing business with Jesse Duke. Most of the other shine suppliers tied up at least one or two of his best girls most of the night. Jesse always accepted a beer to be polite. He was more than happy to throw in a cheeseburger platter for his nephew."You got it."

Jesse sipped his beer while Jeb ate his cheeseburger platter and took in the sights.

Jeb may not have been in a place like this before but he seen the women were very friendly to the men there.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

It was nearly two hours later when Luke finally thanked the nice officers and agents for putting his car back together so nicely.

Bo thought his older cousin was pushing his luck more than a might. He said as he got back in the driver's seat, "Luke have you lost your mind? You know they are gonna be waiting to stop us again as soon as I pull out."

"No they won't. They didn't find a kernel of corn and they were here over four hours. They are ready to find someone else." Luke said as he put the car in first gear.

Bo hoped Luke was right as he eased out on the clutch to get he car moving back toward home.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

John David Duke, youngest of his brothers and sisters, father of a daughter who had just graduated, a son that was on his first shine run, and twin infant daughters knew exactly how much trouble he was in when that porch light came on. He would have rather had to face Agent Roach with a trunk full of Jesse's finest as to go in the house. John half way considered just heading toward Hazzard and staying with Jesse until Pauline calmed down. The main reason he didn't was those two bundles of pink that were just down the hall from his own room. He'd more than helped make them and it wouldn't be fair to leave Pauline home alone with them both with both the older kids gone tonight.

Pauline was tappin' her foot against the floor as she waited for John David to put _**that**_ car back in the barn. _**That**_ car she had grown to hate, even if it was what had gotten her to notice him in the first place years ago. Being that she had given birth to not one, but two babies so recently it wouldn't be a far stretch to worry that she was no longer attractive. She even knew it had been awhile since she was able to 'satisfy' her husband because of the babies. Many women in her place right now would and could think the worst of their husbands. They may let their minds go to think that their husband had been out meeting a woman. But, as soon as Pauline seen that he was in the old Chrysler instead of his pickup truck or her newer car, she knew exactly what he'd been up to.

After meeting and falling head over heals for John David, she was in way too deep when it was confirmed to her that the rumors that she got bits and pieces of about the Dukes were true. She had tried to not believe them, even reason those rumors out. She even managed to be in total denial about how he made the money that he had to show her a good time. A far better time than some of her girlfriends ever had a chance to have by dating a farmers son or a guy who worked shift work at the factories. Somewhere along the lines, Pauline had stuck her nose in the sand and didn't push the issue, until they were married. Once they were married and soon after she became pregnant with Karen she used every trick in the book to get John David to move to Placid County away from his brothers and father. Once in Placid County everything was set. John David worked for her family to help with their bigger farm. They grew cotton. Sure he was gone long hours and worked his tail off to make a decent living for their family. John David had insisted on keeping that old Chrysler even though he'd been offered far more than an old car could be worth. Even when the young couple needed extras he had refused to sale the car. No matter how much Pauline hounded him and told him how the money would help them get the things their family needed, John had stood his ground.

This was not the first night that she had ever woke up to find John just sliding back in. It usually happened shortly after Pauline had been pushing him for money or extras. Every time this had happened before, even before Pauline could confront him about being gone, John had walked in and put more money than she'd asked for on the table before heading to bed. A couple times she had complained about the old car, John had reminded her that it was able to get her things that working for her father hadn't been able to. From time to time he had mentioned how the old car was still able to out run the newer cars of his old friends.

Pauline had got to worrying about John racing his old friends for money and was nearly ready to confront him about it just about the time that she learned she was carrying Jeb. Needing money more than ever, she wisely decided that this was not the right time. She was far too busy taking care of Karen, getting ready for a new baby and trying even harder for her father not to know that on occasion John David had went back to Hazzard and some how ended up having to call Jesse to come get him from jail of all places. Her father had never liked the young man that she chose for her husband, there was no way she could let him find out that John had been arrested. Pauline never wanted to know how or why he'd been arrested. She was far to happy when John pulled back in the yard so she could stop making excuses about where and why he was late to help her now ailing father.

The turning point in their lives was getting nearer. Pauline's father was getting sicker. John David was the older of the brothers, son-in-laws and boyfriends. John David was at a cross roads. He could remain the employee, son-in-law, or he could grow up and step up to the plate and run the farm like he knew it could be ran to make a bigger profit than Pauline's father had ever known. Faced with a major decision in his life he had went to his older brother, Jesse and their father. John knew what he had to do to change things and even though he didn't like it, he knew it was best for his own family. He parked the old Chrysler, went in debt for a decent pick up. He put Hazzard at least two arms lengths away, stopped going to the road houses, stopped drinking - well except on occasion - which usually got him in trouble.

John David Duke grew up. He became the man his family and Pauline's expected him to become. He kept Traveler tuned and ready, and he was known to cause a few problems for the law on occasion for his family and friends like he had tonight. Most folks knew if the chips were down and he was around he'd jump in, but they also knew he was trying to step back. Most folks respected that and made due. This is why everyone but a few family members thought that he had long ago gotten ride of Traveler.

Instead of coming through the front door, John came through the back door. He almost never used the formal entrance to their home.

As Pauline heard the back door in the kitchen open she turned and glared at her husband.

John held up his hand as he entered the room, "Don't even start with me."

Pauline knew the look and the tone of voice her husband used. She began, "Why were you out in that old contraption of yours?"

"Because my older brother needed back up. Now you can play as innocent as you like to everyone you know, and quiet frankly I prefer it that way, but you know my family's business. I left that to be with you. To move here away from it all. But, I will NOT set by and let some revenuer get the drop on my family IF I can stop it. The BEST thing you can do is to go back to bed and forget you saw or heard anything tonight." John said. He had long ago learned not to mince words with his wife. He also knew that telling her that their son was in that moonrunner would only start something he was not wanting to start at this hour of the night, let alone being one on one with her.

Pauline's mouth opened and closed several times, wanting to say what she was thinking.

John walked right by her boots and all. He normally had been 'trained' years ago to take his boots off on the porch. Mindful not to wake the baby girls up, he made no attempt to be really quiet either. Once in their bed room, he kicked his boots off, dropped his jeans and shirt in the floor and got into his bed with a smile. That had felt really good. He knew his clothes weren't supposed to be on the floor and that he was expected to go to bed in pajama bottoms but tonight he felt like his boxers were fine.

Pauline by no means was happy to have been dressed down by her husband who had just broken nearly a half a dozen rules of her house. She stood there full a full minute finding that she had no one to argue with. Pauline also knew that the girls would be up ready for a full day in a few hours. She knew she could stand here mad as a wet hornet and pay for it tomorrow. Or she could go to bed, get some sleep and make John David pay for this night for days. She chose the latter. Pauline went in their bedroom and immediately saw John's clothes in disarray in the floor. Again she started to say something but decided on second thought to let it pass for the night. She flipped back the bedding and got into bed. As she scooted toward her husband, she was surprised to find him without his pajama bottoms on.

John slide his arm around her out of habit and pulled her even closer to him. Pauline snuggled down getting comfortable in his arms to return to sleep when she felt John David's hand begin to wonder.

She gasped as her body reacted to his touch, "John Dav..."

He cut off her protests with a kiss as he felt her responding to him. Unplanned, unscheduled, unthinking - this was how he liked it and better yet, Pauline was more than a bit upset with him. He hoped by breakfast that she had forgotten all about Traveler as he reached for her gown.

Pauline's body may have been saying yes, but her mind was scream no. She finally got a chance to voice herself even as half of her hoped John David didn't listen. "We can't... I haven't, ... seen Doc yet." She hoped he heard her and understood her concerns.

John heard his wife loud and clear, "Come on Darlin'. We have four, what's five or six?"

Pauline bit her lip. He knew what she was concerned about and obviously didn't care. Here their oldest just graduated, Jeb wasn't that far behind her. At their ages they should be picking out colleges and cars not diapers and formula. At the moment logic was gone she didn't care either as she gave into her husband. God help them.


	35. Life Without Wheels reposted

Thanks for all the reviews and hits! Keep them coming. I hope ya like this one. Again, characters and situations are not meant to be anyone living or dead.

Vector 426 - Thanks for all your reviews. _**The founder of Chestnut Hunting Lodge in Taylorsville, NC is film and television star Jerry Rushing. **_

Chapter 35

Bo and Luke managed to get home shortly after leaving the lake area. It seemed they were getting better with their two person shifting by the time they made it back home.

Daisy had been home for sometime and Jesse and Jeb were not expected to nearly daylight.

The boys made their way to the kitchen for a sandwich then headed off to bed totally unaware that their Uncle John had been out to help Jesse and Jeb.

Luke stretched out on his bed and looked at the ceiling. He was waiting to see if Bo had anything to say for himself tonight.

Bo got in his own bed and replayed the earlier events from tonight in his mind.

Luke finally said, "You know it's a da- good thing we weren't loaded tonight."

"You got that right with you missing the gears and then what was that stunt about going out on the top of the car?" Bo said.

"Bo, I didn't miss the gear. You didn't have the clutch in when you told me to shift." Luke replied.

Bo got a bit louder, "OH, yes I did Luke! I don't know what you're sore at me for."

Luke got a might louder his own self, "Me sore at you? Well let's see. First you caused me to miss the gear, then you wouldn't move over so I could get us out of there..."

Bo interrupted, "I thought us getting stopped was the idea?"

Luke explained, "It was but that's beside the point. You chose to run them instead of just pulling over."

"In case you didn't notice it was you missing the gears in your own car." Bo jumped in louder. "Then you went out the window on me."

"I went out the window to come across to take the wheel." Luke said even louder.

Bo nearly yelled, "Yeah that's just what we all need you to go back to jail!"

Daisy had heard their voices getting louder and louder as she got up, put on her robe and made it to the boys room, "What on Earth?"

"He's blaming me cause he missed gears in his own car!" Bo stated.

Luke got louder, "Well, if he'd have moved over, ..."

"He'd been back in jail!" Bo added.

Daisy helped up her hands, "Hold it. Just hold it! Ya'll were supposed to get caught with Bo driving."

"And we did thanks to Luke going up on top of the car where I couldn't switch gears and leaving' me like a setting duck." Bo said.

"If you'd have moved over I could have gave them a run for their money and we could have changed again before letting them catch us." Luke said.

"Or been in the drivers seat when we got blocked off." Bo said.

Luke huffed.

Daisy said, "Now fellas. The important thing is ya'll are here safe. Luke there was no need in you getting caught in the drivers seat just on a bluff. Bo you need to just lay off too. Uncle Jesse will be here soon."

Both boys knew they were wrong, yet both knew they were right. They also knew Jesse didn't need to return to their shouting match either. They both gave Daisy a nod that meant everything was alright at least for tonight.

"Ok, I'll see ya'll at breakfast." Daisy said as she left their room.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse watched Jeb on the way back. He was proud of the boy for his first shine run. He'd done good and even though they were empty he still watched for signs of trouble. Jesse was nearing the farm, "You did good tonight son."

"Really? I didn't really do anything." Jeb said.

Jesse replied, "You paid attention. You listened and you learned. Your Daddy will be proud of you."

"Speaking of Dad, does he do what he done tonight often?" Jeb asked.

Jesse thought back, "I can count the times on both hands I've known him to be out like that since you've been in this world. He knew you were with me. Agent Roach shouldn't have been where he was. Your Dad had to just be out cause he knew you was with me and I can tell you I'm glad he was."

"You mean we would have gotten caught if he hadn't been out?" Jeb said with concern.

Jesse smiled just a bit, "I'm saying he sure made things a might easier being where he was. No, I'm not saying they would have caught us but he insured I didn't have to drop an expensive load of quality shine."

Jeb felt better knowing that they had not been as close to getting caught as he might have feared and also glad his father had been around.

Jesse parked Tilly in her usual place in the barn. Then, he and Jeb covered her up. As they made their way across the yard, Jesse said, "Get you some sleep. It won't be long before we have chores and breakfast before church."

"Yes, Sir." Jeb replied automatically. As he checked the sky he could see the first signs of daybreak.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

In Placid County dawn found John Duke dressed and heading for the barn to take care of the animals before breakfast. All the Loftlins never understood why he took care of the animals first before breakfast. Well, John had been raised a Duke and Dukes knew that the animals took care of you so you took care of them before you ate.

Pauline was also up. She had put on coffee as she waited for the twins bottles to warm. After changing the girls she fed and rocked them. Looking down at them she didn't regret a thing about having them even when everyone she knew had kids no younger than junior high school. Memories of last night ran through here mind and though she had no regrets about the twins she prayed that she'd not be having another baby or Lord help her two more. She and John David had not tried to prevent having children after Jeb was born and after so long a time she just figured he was meant to be her last. Then, about the time Karen had started her Senior year in High School, Pauline had noticed that something wasn't right. She tried to convince herself that she was just getting old, but the more she tired the less her symptoms matched that and the more they resembled pregnancy. When she could ignore things no longer she had went to see her doctor who confirmed she was indeed pregnant. The kicker had been her early Christmas gift, finding out she was carrying twins. That surely made the Christmas get together a might more interesting than Thanksgiving had been after she'd showed up obviously pregnant. At Thanksgiving the Dukes of course were happy about that baby. She felt a bit embarrassed around them, but it hadn't been anything they had done. But, when her own family seen her walk in Christmas a pin could have been heard five miles away. Heaven help when she later explained that she wasn't just gaining more weight this time because she was careless but because she was carrying twins. She had at one point or another been lectured by ever woman there on how to prevent such things from happening especially at 'her age' they claimed she should have 'known better'. The kicker had been when most claimed that she and John were old enough that she and John shouldn't be doing such things anyway anymore.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

The next week went by pretty much as normal if Hazzard was ever normal. Bo, Luke, and Jeb were in town early on Thursday afternoon waiting for Cooter to close before they all headed out to the Boar's Nest. Luther, Cooter's father, should be by to get the wrecker anytime so they could head out. That's when it happened. Someone showed up for gas and Bo headed out to pump the elderly lady's gas cause Cooter was up to his elbows in Rosco's patrol car.

Jeb answered the ringing phone as they heard a horn blowing out front.

Luke looked out to see a man with a steaming radiator trying to limp his car into the garage. "Crap. Wreckers in his way. I got it."

Everyone heard Luke, but no one paid any attention to him.

Luke moved out of reflex and habit as he crossed the lot to the wrecker, opened the door and stepped up on the running board. He knew the keys were in the ignition. Just as his behind hit the seat and his hand hit the key he heard, ...

Deputy Petticord who was coming to check on Rosco's car saying, "Luke Duke if you start that truck I'll have to take you in."

Just as Bo heard the Deputy he looked up to see Luke a fraction away from doing just that. "Luke!"

Jeb hung the phone up without ending the conversation. "Don't do it, Luke!"

Cooter straightened up banging his head on the hood of the car, "Sh-! I'm coming Luke. I got it!"

At the moment Luke felt about two as he let his feet hit the ground so Cooter could move the truck. He headed straight for the refrigerator and a beer.

Deputy Petticord watched Luke storm off. Luke wasn't that much younger than he was. He knew exactly what would have happened if it had been Rosco or any other Deputy that had seem him jump in the wrecker. He walked into the garage behind Luke.

Luke turned to see the Deputy, "Don't lecture me."

"I wasn't. I was only going to tell you if that would have been anyone else they would have let you turn that key and they would be booking you about now." Petticord said.

This was a moment not many folks seen in Hazzard, Luke's brain was in neutral, his mind in first and his mouth was in high gear. "If you're gonna take me in then do it."

You could have heard a pin drop all over the Hazzard Garage.

Deputy Petticord paused a long minute as he watched the younger man take a hefty drink of the beer he'd just opened. "No, Luke, I'm not gonna take you in, but the others would have."

Bo and Jeb held their breath willing Luke to stay quiet.

Cooter who was behind the Deputy was shaking his head 'no' in warning to his friend. He only hoped it worked.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Over in Placid County, Ralph Green was placing a call to his girlfriend. Robin was just finishing up tiding up the house as the phone rang. She was holding it before the first ring finished in order to keep anyone else from answering. On the second ring she answered, "Hello."

"Hey, whatcha doing?" Ralph asked.

"Doing some cleaning for Mom. But I'm just about done." Robin said.

Ralph said, "So why don't you just hop on over here and we could do something." He knew exactly what he'd like to do to her."

Robin took a deep breath before telling him what she had to, "Mom and Dad found out about the racing and fighting, ... also about your license being revoked. I can't come over there and I can't go anywhere with you as long as your license is revoked."

"WHAT!" Ralph saw red. "So if I risk driving over there to see you, then we can't take your car to go somewhere?"

Robin replied, "No."

"Well then we can take my car and you drive it?"

Robin replied, "No. I can't. They'd know you drove it here illegally."

Ralph shook his head, "Come on can't you just say you are going to a friends and meet me somewhere?"

She did want to see him since they hadn't been able to see each other in over two weeks but she knew how well her family was know. She couldn't sneeze at school in the morning without her mom waiting to take her temperature when she got home. "Ralph, look you know as well as I do that if I do that I'll get caught. Then I won't be able to see you at all. Look Hon, summer is short. I don't want my last one here being in trouble." She thought for a minute, "Say, you said you could get a ride over. How about coming to dinner. Maybe we can work something out to go to Debbie's birthday party in Placid on Friday night."

Ralph gritted his teeth. An evening of "Life with Andy Griffith" was not his idea of spending time with his girl, but if that's what he had to do to get her out of the house. He swore as tried to sound happy about the offer, "I'd love to, but you know it would be a lot quicker if I just drove over."

Robin reminded, "Unless you got caught. Then, I might be back from college on my first break by the time you got here. Besides, if any of my family sees your car in the County Mom and Dad will know. See ya about 6."

"Yeah." Ralph replied as he hung up swearing. He only had a few weeks to convince her not to go to college and stay here. Now he had to figure out a ride into Hazzard. He was half tempted to just drive his car, but for some odd reason he decided not to.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

After getting off the phone, Robin looked in the freezer. She decided to fix her favorite dinner. She took the pack of pork chops out to thaw. Then looked around. She had finished several things her mother had asked her to do before she left to go to the store. The house was fine for family but needed a bit more for company. Looking at the clock she knew she had to get busy. By the time she heard her mother pull in, the chops were on low, the table was set with an extra plate. Robin grabbed the trash to take out on her way to help get the groceries in.

Robin's older brother Mark had been outside she thought working on his car, only now did she see that he was under her car. "Mark what are you doing under my car?"

He slide out from under her car, "Well you told me you crossed the gears in it awhile back. I just checked it. The synchronizer is really getting bad in your car."

"Meaning?" Robin asked.

Mark rolled his eyes at her and looked at his mother.

"Does that mean it's something you can do or does it need to go to the garage?" Brenda asked.

Mark sighed, "I could do it. But it would be quicker and easier to do at the garage."

Brenda nodded, "Alright. Can you get it there?"

Shrugging, "Sure. If I cross the gears I just got to get under it and knock it loose."

Robin had already grabbed some groceries and headed back in the house to check supper.

"Get gone. Radio your father or David to pick up so you won't be late for supper." She advised.

"Alright, if I can't get them I'm sure I can have someone at the garage run me home." Mark said as he headed in to get the keys to the car. "Hey I'm just taking you key off your keyring so you'll have the others."

"Thanks. Don't be late for supper." Robin said surprised that her brother had done something nice for her without being asked. What she didn't know was that Luke had asked him to check it and let her parents know it needed changed.

As Brenda walked into the kitchen she smelled dinner cooking. It was not unusual for her daughter to cook. Strangely enough she would rather her daughter cook and she do the clean up behind her. "What smells good?"

"Pork chops and mashed potatoes right now." Robin said.

Her mother spotted the extra plate on the already set table, "Are we having company?"

Robin shrugged, "Ralph called. He wanted us to go do something." She saw her mother begin to say something. "I told him that I couldn't meet him in my car and that if he showed up here in his car I couldn't drive it. So I asked him to get a ride over and have dinner with us. I hope that is alright?"

Brenda replied, "It's fine."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

As Mark pulled into the garage, he could tell something was up by the way Cooter was shaking his head at someone inside the garage. He also saw Deputy Petticord's tensed stance. No longer worried about the car he had to see what was going on. Mark quickly exited the car and wisely went to the office door instead of the bay door where what ever was going on was happening. As he stepped to the office door he seen Bo and Jeb apparently holding there breath for some reason, Deputy Petticord and Cooter, then he noticed all were looking at Luke.

Luke had just took a drink from his beer.

Marked hoped he could defuse this situation, "Can't a man get any service around here?" It was obvious that no one had heard him pull in.

From the CB's base station, Rosco called, "Deputy Petticord I need you to get out to Route Eleven immediately, if not sooner. I got a report of speeders out there."

Deputy Petticord looked at the radio then his and Luke eyes meet for a full minute before Petticord said, "I got to go." He turned, picked up the bases mic and radioed the Sheriff, "On my way!" Then he turned and left.

No one moved in the garage until he was gone.

Cooter was the first to speak, "Do you really think that was the smartest thing you ever done, Buddy Row?"

Luke sighed, "Likely not."

Mark asked, "What did I miss?"

They began to tell Mark what had gone on over a beer.

01~~~~~~~~01

Ralph managed to get a ride to the Boar's Nest and after a cold one he went out to try to get a ride on into town or to Robins. As luck would have it Ralph saw Robin's younger brother's truck coming up the road.

David stopped and asked, "So why are you walking? Where's your car?"

"At home, thanks to your sister." Ralph huffed.

"Yeah, I caught part of them talkin' to her. So your license are really revoked?" David asked.

Ralph replied, "Yeah, until next Friday."

"Luke's too?" David asked. It could be fun to catch him driving.

Ralph scowled at the mention of the Duke, "Yeah, as far as I know. Why? You ain't seen him drivin' have you?"

David said, "Nah, but I'll make a point to notice from now on though." They were just entering Town Square, when David saw his sisters car at the garage and it was parked next to the Luke Duke's Torino. "Ralph don't look now, but there is Robin's car."

Ralph knew Robin was expecting him but he was in town earlier than she'd likely expect. He saw her car parked at the local garage right beside the Dukes car. "We need to make a stop here."

David was all for it as he parked on the street before getting to the garage...

01~~~~~~~~01

Inside the garage, Luke's temper had backed off quite a bit by the time that he and the guys managed to get well in to the case of beer. Luke had started on case of beer after he came very close to getting caught driving. Luke might just have even drank a couple of Jeb's beers. Luke had in fact took a chair back in the shadows right beside the refrigerator that way he didn't have far to go for a refill. The other fellas including Mark, had found seats on stools, tires, tool boxes and Rosco's front fender.

Mark just happened to be setting on the tool box next to Luke behind the barrel that held the used motor oil.

Ralph may have agreed to a truce with Luke but so help him if he caught his girl here with Luke there was going to be war in the camp.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please take the time to review so I know if you like it or stopped reading after you clicked on to it! Hits can be misleading, reviews can't be. Thanks again.

NOTE: Somethings were pointed out in a review that I wanted to be able to answer but the person doesn't have a PM option.

Vector 426 - Thanks for the review of this chapter and thanks for the catching the mistake.

Vector 426 wrote: I'm a bit confused at the moment, it's mentioned the General Lee's parked in front of Cooter's, I was under the impression that it wasn't built until much later. **You are very right and thanks for pointing it out. I have made the correction. It is just so hard to picture them without the General Lee and I was into the scene as to where the people were I just 'seen' the General Lee there. **

Vector 426 wrote: I recently reread your story from the beginning, there's a few things I wanted to ask about. For example, was Luke's Torino the car Cooter used to run Roscoe off the road in "One Armed Bandits"? **Yes that is the car in my mind.**

Vector 426 wrote: I also seem to remember a gal working as one of Miss Mona's gals being named Ruby commenting to Luke about after going out with him, this was a step up. Was that the same Ruby that visited Luke in Jail? **As for Ruby, yes it is the same girl (basically) from Daisy's Song played by Terry Browing. As for Mona she was the madamm, Dolly Pardon's character in "Best Little Whore House in Texas". The local traveling madamm in Hazzard was Mabel, played by Ginny Parker. Thanks again for the review and paying such close attention to detail. **


	36. Round TWO

NOTE: **BOLD** type is a few lines from JadedPhoenixBurning. Thanks to her for all her helpful ideas and proofing.

Chapter 36

Cooter, Mark, Bo and Jeb were wisely talking about anything they could trying to get Luke to calm down. They knew when they first heard that his license was going to be revoked that it would be hard on him even if it was only a short period of time.

Luke finshed his beer, set the bottle in the can in the corner and reached in the frig for another. He hoped no one was really paying attention as he had already started on Jeb's share. But, since Jeb was driving home a bit later Luke figured he didn't need all of his share of the case. Luke had known for years that drinking when you were mad usually wasn't a good idea, but right now since he wasn't 'allowed' to drive, it seemed like a good time to him.

Ralph walked determinely toward the garage door. He entered the garage with the summer sun behind him. Ralph was a bit blinded as he entered the darker garage, but he was able to focus on Luke Duke. The truce forgotten Ralph crossed the garage like he had been known to cross the football field back when he played Defensive End for the Placid County Beavers.

None of the guys including Luke saw Ralph even pull up outside. Luke just finished a long drink of his beer when he saw Ralph coming at him from about two foot away. At this point Luke's brain barely realized who was coming at him before Ralph tackled him! He had been hit with two hundred plus pounds of anger. The why of the situation didn't matter now at all, as Luke found himself and the chair he was setting in heading for the floor.

Mark McCormick who was sitting closest to Luke didn't stand a chance as Luke, Ralph and the chair were falling toward him. As they all landed in the corner between the refrigerator, the oil barrel, trash can and on top of the tool box that Mark had been setting on and folding chair that Luke had been setting in all three men were just struggling to gain control of their situation. Ralph had managed to hit Luke with his sholder into Luke's ribs so once they hit the floor it knocked all the breath out of Luke. Where the other two had landed on him, Mark wasn't much better off. Ralph was on top of the pile but when the tool box that Mark was setting on turned over the tools spilled out and was under Ralph's feet as he was trying to get up.

As the three were stuggling with each other, Bo, Jeb and Cooter quickly went to try to pull the three apart. Bo was trying to get to Luke, but with Ralph on top of the pile he grabbed him with his left hand first by his belt to move him off Luke. Cooter seen what Bo was trying to do and reached over the blonde Duke to grab Ralph by his shirt collar. Cooter turned Ralph away from where Luke was. As Bo let go of Ralph, Jeb stepped in and helped Cooter move the man back.

Bo helped Mark to his feet and they both reached to get Luke back to his feet. By the time Luke's boots hit the floor, he'd got his breath and temper back. He easily pulled away from his cousins left hand hold and his friend going at Ralph, much like Ralph had came at him.

Ralph had the advantage though as he seen Luke coming just in time to grab a large pipe wrench off the work bench.

Cooter grabbed for the monkey wrench as Ralph began to swing it toward Luke. "That ain't fair Buddy Roe!"

When Luke hit Ralph he took him out of the grasp of Jeb and Cooter and put him painfully against Rosco's partol car that Cooter had been working on. As Ralph hit the car it only made him madder he used the car to his advantage and pushed himself off it. Being that Ralph hadn't been drinking he was more in control of his actions than Luke. Luke was fighting two demons. The beer that he'd had more than a few too many of and the two legged one that had been a thorn in his side for the last couple of years. As Ralph pushed Luke backwards, Luke stepped on a socket that rolled under his foot. Before anyone could react Luke and Ralph were back on the floor with Ralph on top.

Luke may have once again been on the bottom of the pile but he was sure letting Ralph know he was there. He still hadn't had time to think about WHY Ralph had come after him when they had agreed on a truce, but at the moment it surely seemed Ralph had tossed that truce out before he got there, so Luke wasn't worried about it either. Ralph also seemed intent on hurting him. Luke wasn't one who liked to be hurt. Timing his move just right, Luke gritted his teeth, leaned back and slammed his head right into Ralph's face. Luke managed to hit Ralph's nose straight on with his forehead!

Ralph would never admit it but that rung his bell. He wiped at the blood from his nose and as he tried to shake the spinning stars from his vision he felt himself being flipped onto his back...

Luke took advantage of the few seconds of pain Ralph was having to flip him onto his back. Luke was now getting to his feet. Thanks to a socket under one boot, just about the time Luke was standing up Ralph took his feet out from under him with a punch to his calf. Ralph had managed to clear his vision and no sooner had Luke hit the floor he felt Ralph's boot connect with his left side. As he gasped for air to refill his lung, Luke rolled toward the foot that had kicked him, grabbed the booted foot and twisted it with all his might to the outside. Luke managed to drop Ralph like rock to the floor.

Seeing that Ralph had not taken Luke easily, David yelled from the garage door to the guys, "Hey you guys you better stop them!"

The four on lookers inside the garage who had been trying to break this fight up, again moved in. Cooter and Jeb grabbed Ralph as Bo and Mark grabbed Luke. They had to pry his hands off Ralph's boot. It seemed that Luke was intent on causing the other man pain.

As Cooter and Jeb got Ralph to his feet and began moving him away from Luke, Ralph went as limp as if he'd passed out. Cooter and Jeb lost their hold on him as Ralph hit the floor. Once he hit the floor he sprange like a tiger and managed to hit Luke square in his left side again with his shoulder. Luke, Bo and Mark were all backed up to the wall by the hit. As Ralph's shoulder dug into Luke's ribs he again felt the air leaving his chest.

David saw Cooter's father and Sheriff Rosco Coltrane coming up the street, he casually walked over and stated very calmly, "At least one of you may want to get into the garage. There is quite some rukus up there."

Luther took one look inside his beloved garage. Their were tools and bodies everywhere! From what he first saw he expected thousands of dollars in damage to his business. He stepped back, "Sheriff you've got to stop this or I won't have a buisness to fix your car."

The car that Rosco was coming to check on that is. Rosco leaped head long into the garage, "ALRIGHT YOU GUYS KNOCK IT OFF!" He drew his pistol and fired a shot in the air.

Jeb and Cooter had both layed hands upon Ralph and were pulling him away from Bo, Luke and Mark.

The shot when into the air, the shop light, the ceiling and clean into the roof above the second story.

Between the gunshot and the glass raining down on them from the shop light each of the guys pulled up short and stopped. They had went too far. Way too far!

Rosco's first move was to the base station CB on the counter, "Deputy Petticord, where every you are get back to the Hazzard Garage NOW."

Deputy Petticord frowned. He surely wished that the Sheriff would make up his mind. He replied, "On my way, Sheriff." He turned the car and sped back to the grage he'd just left. Remembering his earlier scene with Luke he truely hoped that what ever he was responding to had nothing to do with him and his friends, but he couldn't shake the bad feeling that what ever it was they would be right in the middle.

Rosco took in the scene and saw both Luke and Ralph being held by the others who were also obviously involved some way or another. He reached for his cuffs and approached Ralph, who was still struggling against Cooter and Jeb. It was obvious to Rosco that the young mans nose would have to be looked at by Doc. Cooter wasn't about to let go of Ralph again so he moved so that Rosco could get the cuffs on him. He even went as far as to make real sure Rosco had no problem doing it either as he cranked Ralphs right arm around behind him. Jeb had seen what Cooter was doing and managed to take the left hand back behind Ralph also.

Ralph was now running off at the mouth, "What are you two doing? You aint got no right!" He then felt Rosco's cuffs biting into his wrists.

Rosco huffed, "I have every right to book every one of you, but I'm only takin' ya'll in until I figure out what happened here. Now just hush ALL of you!" He took out the second set of cuffs and approached Luke.

Luke looked at the Sheriff and tried to take in a breath. He found that taking a deep breath wasn't a good idea as he said, "Now Rosco, I ..."

Rosco cut him off, "Just hush, you heard me. I'm just doing this to I find out what went on and I'm not gonna be trying to listen to it all here. So just hush now and put your hands behind your back."

It was all Luke could do to keep his mouth shut as Rosco cuffed him.

Deputy Petticord pulled up to the garage doors and got out. As he took in the scene he saw one younger man outside the doors taking everything in, and six young men who had apparently had one heck of a fight, Luther was at the counter watching Rosco who had just cuffed Luke Duke. He sighed, he knew it had something to do with this bunch. "Sheriff." He said as he stepped inside.

"We're gonna be taking these guys over to the jail until I figure out what happened here." Rosco explained.

Cooter and Jeb were still holding a struggling Ralph. Bo and Mark were still standing beside Luke.

Rosco now stepped back to Cooter and Jeb. He took control of the struggling young man, "You're only making things worse on yourself. Now settle down." He said to Ralph. Then to the Deputy, "Cuff Cooter, ..."

Cooter had not expected that. After all he had been trying to stop the fight and even helped Rosco cuff the man, "NOW just hold on there Rosco!What? Why me? I was only keepin' this weasel from jumpin' Luke again!"

Ralph tried to pull away from Rosco right then but failed misserably.

Luther also jumped in, "Sheriff, there is no need for that."

Rosco was determined as he looked at the garage owner, "You told me to handle this and that's what I'm doing. Until you figure out how much damages have been done and I figure out who's responsible he's going."

Cooter looked at his father. He really hoped that his father wasn't going to just let this happen.

Luther didn't like it one bit but he did see Rosco's point. He seen the look from his boy who's own temper was rising quickly, "Son go with the Sheriff. The quicker he gets his answers the faster I can get you back over here."

Cooter really could not believe this. He hadn't done anything but try to stop the fight and he was being cuffed.

Rosco knew better than to let go of Ralph. He told the Deputy, "You need to also cuff McCormick over there."

"Do what? What did I do?" Mark spoke up. He only for the first time seen his younger brother outside who had a look of enjoyment on his face.

Rosco replied as Dep. Petticord got out his second set of cuffs, "I don't know what you've done but I'm going to find out."

Deciding not to give his brother anymore ammunition against him, Mark complied with the Deputy.

Rosco advised the Deputy, "You escort Luke and Mark. I've got this one and Cooter. Now Bo you and Jeb are going over with us and don't make me call Jesse to tan your hides because you didn't listen to me."

Before Bo could open his mouth, Luke gave him a look of warning, "Bo." He said simply. "You and Jeb listen to Rosco." For one he knew if they didn't listen to him Rosco would surely follow through and tell Jesse about it. Secondly, Luke needed them to tell what had happened.

As Rosco and Deputy Petticord marched the bunch of young men out of the garage and up the street toward the courthouse, it was sure a scraggly looking lot. No matter how clean a garage is they are still dirty places so all the guys clothes were dirty. Mark had ripped his jeans somehow and Cooter's shirt hung open. Ralph's shirt was ripped, his nose still bleeding and he walked with a slight limp. Luke's shirt was more than a bit untucked and he was protectively trying to guard his left side. Jeb and Bo shirts were even torn.

Once in the Courthouse Rosco put Ralph in the cell behind his desk and only after the cell door was locked did he removed the hand cuffs. Rosco then said, "You all just head on downstairs. Deputy you lock those double doors, then call Doc and Jesse. Get them headed over here."

Rosco motioned for Bo and Jeb to take a couple of seats in front of his desk. "You boys can just take a seat. Bo right here. Jeb set over here." He had seated the two as far apart as he could. "Deputy keep a close eye on them and no one comes in but Doc until we get some statements."

Cooter, Mark and finally Luke were followed downstairs by Rosco. Rosco locked the gate behind him and directed Luke to the first cell and Mark to the second. After locking the cell doors he uncuffed the two young men, then turned his attention to Cooter, "Just take you a seat over at the desk."

Cooter stepped over to the desk waiting for Rosco to uncuff him.

Rosco took his seat at the desk and got out some paper. "Set down Cooter."

"You're not gonna uncuff me?" Cooter asked.

"Not right now." Rosco replied. "Just tell me what that was all about first."

Cooter had now set down and was not at all comfotable with his hands still cuffed behind him, "Rosco we were all at the garage like normal this time of evening waiting to close, when out of no where that weasel ran in he tackled Luke, blinde sided him. Things just went down hill from there. We were trying to break them up when you all came in. It seemed like everytime we'd get them apart they'd get back into it."

Rosco asked, "What was it all about?"

"I have no idea. Last I knew they were alright with each other." Cooter explained.

"You said they kept getting back into it. Was Luke the aggressor at any point? And, before you answer that remember I've got Doc called to look at Green's nose." Rosco pointed out knowing that the boys were friends.

Cooter could have kicked himself for telling Rosco what he had. "Come on Rosco someone comes at you ain't no one gonna just set there."

"I'll take that as a yes." Rosco replied.

Cooter swore under his breath.

Across the room Mark found himself pacing the cell. He'd never even been down here before let alone locked in a cell.

Luke wasn't pacing. He wasn't doing much at all as he stood watching Cooter talk to Rosco. Luke wished that the two were talking louder so he could gauge how much trouble he was in but so far he hadn't heard any of the conversation.

As Mark turned around he stopped and began watching Luke. Something just didn't seem right as he noticed how Luke was holding his left arm folded in tight against his left side. He noticed Luke's right hand was closed in a fist and his jaw was clenched as he was trying to see what was going on over at the desk across the room.

Mark moved closer to Luke and quietly said, "Are you all right?"

Luke only nodded, 'yes'.

Mark wasn't buying it. They had played ball and been friends too long. "Luke talk to me."

Luke looked at him not at all sure that he could talk to Mark right now after the exertion of walking over from the garage. "I'm fine."

Mark was watching Luke. He was breathing very shallowly and quicker than normal. "No you ain't."

"Yeah, I am." Luke gasped and began coughing. He swore in pain as he tried to stop coughing and trying to get his breath.

Rosco was finishing up with Cooter when he looked over at the cells. The McCormick kid looked worried and Luke didn't look so good. He went over to the cells, "Luke what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Luke said.

Rosco looked from Luke to Mark.

Mark shrugged his shoulders, "That's all I've gotten too."

Rosco frowned. He'd keep his eye on the older Duke. "Cooter come over here."

Cooter with some degree of difficulty with his hands still cuffed behind him, got up out of the chair and went to the Sheriff.

Rosco reached for his cuffs and told Mark, "Turn around and back up over here."

Mark didn't like it but he did as he was told.

Rosco cuffed him, opened the cell door. "Come on Mark. Cooter get on in there." He then reached through and uncuffed Cooter.

Cooter rubbed his wrists as he swore about being put inside the cell. He hadn't heard much if any of Rosco, Luke and Mark's conversation. Cooter looked at Luke, "Hey I tried to put everything on Ralph but I think I may have goofed."

"It's 'kay." Luke managed to get out. "Thanks."

Cooter said, "Well, it's not like he didn't notice all the blood poorin' from his nose. How's your head?"

Luke nodded, 'yes', "Fine." He really wished everyone would stop trying to get him to talk to them. Right now he had enough trouble just trying to breath. Even shaking his head didn't seem like it was such a good idea at the time either.

"You ain't sore at me are ya?" Cooter asked. He'd noticed Luke's right hand clenched into a fist.

"No." Luke said lowly.

"Buddy Roe, I thought that you and Ralph called a truce. That didn't seem like any truce that I'd ever seen. What the HE- happened to cause him to jump ya like that? I mean, it ain't like you've been off with Robin or anything." Cooter said.

Luke clenched his jaw. Took as deep a breath as he could bare and said, "We did, ..." He stopped to take a breath, "No idea." Stopping again he unclenched and reclenched his fist, "No ain't, ... seen her, ... even." He again began to cough. Luke closed his eyes and held his left side as best he could with his left arm. He'd like to have swore but didn't have the air to do so.

"Luke, you alright? You don't look so good." Giving Luke a once over, he remembered the hits that Ralph got in. "I think that you ought to let the doc take a look at ya."

Luke shook his head 'no'. "Not gonna, ... give him, ... the satisfaction." He said between breaths.

Cooter knew now for sure that his buddy was hurt. "What's wrong. Where are you hurt?"

"Ribs." Luke knew he couldn't deny it any longer and was frankly getting tired of trying. "Left side."

"Ain't that where they was broke during the championship game with Placid?" Cooter asked.

Luke replied, "Exactly. ... See why, ... I'm not, ... sh-!" He swore not able to finsh his thoughts.

Cooter nodded, "Yeah I do. It was Ralph that got you then wasn't it?" Seeing the look on Luke's face, "Nevermind. I know."

Back across the room, Rosco had gotten out his second sheet of paper. Then, said to Mark, "Just tell me what happened at the garage."

Mark started at the beginning, "When I brought my sisters car in for some repairs, the guys were all there. I showed up about the time you radioed for Deputy Petticord to head to Route Eleven. I still don't know what happened before I got there but there was definitely tension in the air. Well, I joined them and we were all talking. The next thing I know, Ralph comes barreling in the garage and took Luke out of his chair and they both landed on me. The others came over and gave us all a hands up but things had went from bad to worse by now. It may have looked like a free for all but we were just trying to to get them two off each other. "

Rosco jumped at that last part of Marks statement, **"Wait a minute, you said that there was tention in the air BEFORE Ralph showed Up?"**

**Mark tried to see if there was anyway to back track from that statement without causing the sheriff to go on a witch hunt. With Luke ending up being burned at the stake. Unfortunately, he couldn't send that comment in reverse.**

**"Yes sir. Luke seemed a bit upset when I first got to the garage but otherwise everything was just fine before Ralph showed up and knocked Luke off his chair for no reason."**

"So Luke was the aggressor at some point? Remember I saw Greens' nose." Rosco reminded.

"Sheriff, if he'd come at me like that he did at Luke, ...**It was only in self-defense and I'd had done th...** " Mark's sentence went unfinished.

"I'll take that as a yes. Do you know what it was over?" Rosco asked.

Mark added, "Look Sheriff you and I know, they have had problems since high school. I had thought they had worked out somethings but I just don't know why."

Rosco finished up with Mark and directed him back to the cell with Cooter where he was uncuffed. The Sheriff noted that Luke still wasn't looking great but decided that he needed to get his statements from the juveniles before this place got crowded. He'd deal with Luke later. He unlocked the gate and left it open as he went upstairs. "Deputy I've gotten statements from everyone but Duke down there. Go keep an eye on them while I get these."

"Sure Sheriff. I also talked to Doc, he said he'd be here as soon as he could." Deputy Petticord reported.

Rosco looked over at the young man in the cell. The Deputy had given him some towels and it appeared that he had gotten the bleeding to stop but there was no hiding the swelling. He looked over at the younger two Dukes. Bo was picking at the cast on his right arm. Rosco went to him first, "Bo you are almost 18 right?"

Bo looked at the Sheriff, "A couple weeks yet."

Rosco nodded, "We can wait on Jesse if you want." There was a knock on the locked double doors. "Hold that thought." Rosco went to the door.

By now Jesse Duke could be heard on the other side of the door, "Rosco, you let me in there now to check on my boys. Doc already told me you called..."

Rosco had at this time opened the door and saw not only Jesse Duke but also Doc Applebee outside. "Come on in both of you." He relocked the double door. "Now Jesse, I'm just trying to figure this mess out right now. No charges have been filed."

Jesse let himself calm just a bit at that news as he saw his younger two boys setting on opposite sides of the room. "Where's Luke?"

Bo replied, "Downstairs."

Rosco said, "Jesse just give me a minute to get Doc set up here and we'll talk to your boys." Rosco talked to Doc and figured out the best place and how he could examine and work on the Green boy while Rosco was nearby taking Bo and Jeb's statement.

Ralph had been cuffed behind him. Much to his protests, then placed in an office chair at Rosco's desk. Doc Applebee examined Ralph's nose and found that it had been bleeding, was swollen, the patient had tenderness and bruising had begun. He could hear that the patient was having some difficulty breathing. "Do you feel like either of you nasal passages are blocked?"

Ralph smarted off, "What do you think? I can't even breath through my nose." His voice was even changed by the injury he had sustained.

Doc nodded and then motioned for Rosco, "I need to realign his nose. I normally give some pretty heavy medications before hand but I do also have a nasal spray the will take care of just the effected area."

Rosco explained, "I still need to get his statement and I need him able to give it. I'm still not certain what happened. If you can use the spray for pain and him still be able to adequately give a statement, I think that would be the best option."

Doc understood. He began to explain the procedure to the young man, "I need to realign your nose so that you can breath better. I will use this spary to numb the area before we get started. I'm not gonna lie to you and tell you this won't hurt but you will feel a sudden relief after I'm done."

Ralph was NOT happy at what he was being told but knew something had to be done so that he could breath through his nose again. Being still handcuffed behind his back only complicated matters. "Can this wait?"

Doc replied, "The longer you wait the more difficulties you will have and the harder it will be to realign your nose. The more it swells the harder it will be on you."

Not seeing much of a choice here Ralph nodded, "K."

"Alright, I'll use the spray." which he did, "Can you feel this?" Doc asked.

"Of course I can." Ralph whinned.

Doc said to Rosco, "Before you get started over there, I might need you." He gave another dose of the spray as Rosco came to help. "I know he's cuffed. Just keep him as still as you can. Alright, son, you are as numb as I can get you." Doc positioned himself as he saw Rosco also holding the patient. Doc took a deep breath, grabbed the nose and preformed the realignment.

Ralph tensed first, let out a blood curdiling scream, "AHHHHHHHHHHhhh,..." Right before he passed out from the pain.

Downstairs Luke was still holding his left side protectively as he too dealt with his own breathing diffculty. He couldn't help it. He knew it was wrong but he found great pleasure in the pain that Ralph was experiencing as a smile crossed his face as the other young man let out a cry of pain. Luke had been through this pain, no thanks to the other man before. He knew the pain he was having. Jesse had told him before that an injury to your ribs was likely the MOST painful of all injuries because they moved with every breath you took. Luke knew he was in for no picnic for a long while due to his injuries. He may not have seen Doc yet, but he'd been hurt like this before. He knew without having been told that his next two or three months was not going to be at all fun.

Upstairs Doc took an ammonia inhaler from his bag and woke the young man. "Rosco he is fine now. Let's get him back inside." The two men assisted Ralph back inthe cell where Rosco uncuffed him. Doc reached in his bag, "Here are a few pain relievers. If he is out before then send him over for a prescription otherwise let me know and I'll bring you some more."

Rosco nodded. "Alright."

Doc was just about to leave when he said, "I'll be out of the area for most of the rest of the day. Doc Petticord should be around later today of you need anything."

"Doc do you have time to check someone else?" Rosco asked. He knew Luke had not asked for a doctor or anything else since being brought in, but even Rosco knew someting wasn't right with him.

Doc replied, "Sure what do you have?"

Rosco replied, "I don't rightly know." Rosco seen Jesse's eyes meet his. He shrugged, "Luke tells me nothing is wrong, but I can't help but think he may have been hurt."

Jesse started to say something but was cut off.

"Jesse I swear, I tried to get him to tell me what was wrong, but I'm not gonna let Doc leave and no one be around and something be wrong with that boy." Rosco explained.

"Show me the way." Doc said.

Rosco motioned Doc to follow him downstairs.

Jesse also followed them, but directed Bo and Jeb to stay put.

Downstairs, Luke seen Doc ahead of Rosco and Jesse, "Ahh Gheese!"

Cooter encouraged, "Luke just let him check you out."

Mark added, "Luke just level with them."

Luke sighed as best he could as he watched Rosco open the gate. Rosco, Doc and Jesse came inside. The Deputy was sent back upstairs and the gate relocked.

Rosco opened the cell door where Luke was, "Alright Luke come on out and just step over to the shower area." The shower area was no more than a shower stall in a corner behind the officers' desk. Rosco went with him, followed closely by Doc and Jesse. Rosco said, "Stripe."

Luke was barely able to breath half way normally without exerting himself. "WHAT?"

Rosco replied, "You won't tell me what's wrong with you. Doc is here. You can stripe for an exam or tell us where you are hurt."

Jesse only said, "Luke."

Luke did not want to give Ralph the satisfaction of letting him know that Luke had also been hurt, but Rosco, Doc and Jesse offered him little choice. "K, ... " Luke paused trying to get his breath from the short walk across the room, "My ribs., ... Left side." He managed to finally get out, only after having to stop for air.

Doc said, "Take off your shirt."

As Luke did so, it was obvious to all three men watching him that his entire left side was bruised.

Doc looked at Rosco, "I can take him over to the office, but, ..." He glaced from Jesse to Luke.

Luke replied, "No need, ... Doc. ... This is the same, ... area, ... and the same pain, ... I had before, ... at the championship." ... Luke held his side as his sentence faded.

Doc remembered the young man had rode the bus all the way back to Hazzard before he let anyone know he was hurt.

Rosco was not about to be accused of not getting medical help for an arrestee. "Let me make a phone call I'll get another Deputy in here to go with you. I need to know the extent of injuries to both Luke here and Green upstairs."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Hours later, Rosco had taken his statements. They had all matched up pretty well except for the Green's. Ralph's nose had been set. Luke's ribs taped and everyone released except Luke and Ralph. Luther had seen that nothing at the garage had been damaged. He could use extra manpower to help clean it up but other than that nothing was damaged.

Luther nor Luke or Ralph wanted any charges filed.

Rosco, however, was under moral and legal obigation to at least let the judge sort things out. The only charges that would be filed by anyone was a battery charge on both Luke and Ralph based on the injuries both ended up with.

Tonight would be a long one for all involved. Luke was locked in a cell while still in pain from the injuries to his ribs. Ralph was also in pain and could barely breath in the cell upstairs. Mark, who Jesse had posted bail for, had to go home and face his family. Meanwhile his younger brother managed to tell things as HE saw them.

Cooter, Bo, and Jeb hoped that they hadn't told too much or too little to help Luke. The way things looked now with Luke still behind bars, it was hard to tell if they had helped keep him there or not. As for Cooter and Mark both had been cut loose since everyone agreed that they had only been trying to break Luke and Ralph up. Bo and Jeb were turned over to Jesse since they were minors and also had only tried to help Cooter and Mark.

Cooter now felt like he was the 'lucky' one in the bunch as he had to help clean up the garage and get it back into a working state. He had to keep reminding himself that not only had he not gotten hurt but also was not locked in a cell.

Rosco also spoke with Deputy Petticord about the events that had happened before this altercation at the garage. Deputy Petticord reported that Luke had jumped in the wrecker with intention of moving it but had not so much as started it.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

As dawn brightened the Hazzard sky, Judge Milton Hardcastle was up and getting ready to start his day as his phone rang. "Hardcastle." He answered gruffly.

"Judge Hardcastle, this is Sheriff Coltrane." Rosco advised.

Hardcastle grimaced. Anytime he got a call at this time of morning from a Sheriff something wasn't good. "What can I do for you Sheriff?"

"Well I have something to run by you. I was with Luther Davenport yesterday evening. There was a fight in his garage which he asked me to break up. There was no damages and he didn't want to press any charges. Initially I thought there were six guys involved, two of which were minors. After getting statements from all the parties all of them matched, except one. They were separated and couldn't have gotten their stories straight. No one wanted to press any charges. However, I saw the fighting and due to the injuries the two got I felt I needed to file battery charges on two of them." Rosco explained.

Judge Hardcastle replied, "Alright I'll be down to arraign them soon."

"Thanks, Judge, but the reason I called you so early is you've recently dealt with these two before." Rosco added.

"Alright." Hardcastle said as he waited for whatever additional information the Sheriff thought he needed before he seen the reports.

"It seems your last two customers have returned after round two." Rosco said glumly. He had so hoped that there last stay would have solved their problem.

It was early and Hardcastle had three Counties of customers. He asked, "Who?"

"Luke Duke and Ralph Green. " Rosco replied and added, "This was a pretty serious fight. There was four friends and family members trying to break them up as Luther and I arrived."

Hardcastle rubbed his hand through his hair, "You mentioned injuries?"

"Got all the Doctors information here." Rosco began.

Hardcastle frown. If it was bad enough to get a Doctor involved then it must have been bad.

Continuing, Rosco advised, "Green's got a broken nose that Doc Applebee had to realign. Luke's got several broken and bruised ribs that Doc taped up."

"I'll be in at eight. Call Jesse Duke for me. Tell him I'd like to talk to him in my Chambers before I see those two." Judge Hardcastle said.

Rosco relied, "I'll call him now."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please read and review.


	37. Judgement Day

***** NOTE: We all know things are different in Hazzard County than anywhere else in the world. And everyone should also have heard the phase, 'Sober as a Judge'. Well, Luke's needing takes both those things into consideration. No, I personally have never heard of a Judge doing this, but maybe things could be worked out a lot easier. I personally like Terry Clark's thinking in 'The World Needs a Drink'. Just read this part of the story with an open mind and remember it is a fictional story. I hope you enjoy.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 37

Between having to go get Jeb and Bo and not being able to bring Luke home, Jesse Duke hadn't gotten much sleep at all last night. He didn't like for one minute that Luke was hurt and not under his roof. Not being able to sleep, Jesse gave up tossing and turning earlier than normal. He was now on his second cup of coffee when the phone rang. He frowned as he looked at the clock, "Duke Farm."

"Jesse this is Rosco. I just talked to Judge Hardcastle. He will be in at eight and would like to talk to you in his Chambers before seeing Luke." Rosco advised.

Jesse was relieved that Rosco wasn't calling to tell him that Luke was having problems from his ribs but he hadn't expected to be summonsed either. "I'll be there." Jesse replied.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

If Luke had thought his first experience with having broken and bruised ribs, and having to sleep in the recliner after sippin' on some of Jesse's finest was bad, he soon learned that he had been much better off before. Luke found that trying to get comfortable in the cell was impossible. He wasn't able to lay down, setting straight up hadn't worked for long, so the only other option was standing up. The pain from his ribs coupled with the adrenaline from the fight had soon over powered the alcohol Luke had drank and the over the counter Motrin Doc had left wasn't touching the pain. Luke never understood the idea of taping ribs when they were broke. The pain hadn't been anywhere near this bad either time before Doc Applebee taped them. Luke wished Rosco had not told Doc he was hurt, but on the other hand Jesse would have taken one look at him and he would have called Doc himself. Luke had managed to spend most of the night standing to the back of the cell looking out the window. He had hoped to have figured out what exactly happened yesterday evening. Why Ralph had been set to attack him even before he entered the garage but for the life of him, he hadn't been able to figure anything out.

Upstairs Ralph was having his own troubles. His ankle and foot were hurting where Duke had grabbed it after he'd kicked Duke's ribs. Ralph had misjudged how quick Duke could be even while he was in pain. He surely hadn't ever figured on Duke head butting him in the nose. The swelling was still causing him to not be able to breath well. Between the pain from his ankle, nose and everywhere else Luke had managed to get punches in there was no laying down even if he would have been able to breath doing so. Ralph found himself thinking back to the previous evening, he had been so certain that Robin had been at the garage and even now he wasn't entirely sure that he had been wrong, after all it was her car right beside Duke's.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

A few miles out of Hazzard, by the time the chores were done at the Duke farm, morning was just getting started at the McCormick home. Even though he was currently on the afternoon shift Robin's dad was up with coffee made by the time his wife came downstairs. No one had to get up for school and after evening they had been through no one was really in a big hurry to get up today.

Last evening when David saw that not only Ralph and Luke were cuffed, but his brother Mark was a well, David assumed that Mark was arrested along with the others. With that news in mind, he rushed home eager to tell his parents of the trouble that his brother was in. In fact, David had broken all the speed limits in the County going home since all the police were busy in town. He made it home just in time for their scheduled dinner. His father had the evening off and it was obvious that they were expecting company only he knew wasn't going to be able to show. "Hey where is dinner? I'm starved." David had started as soon as he came in the kitchen.

His mother advised, "As you can see we are expecting company, so just be a bit patient. Besides, your brother isn't here yet either."

"I'm not real sure I'd hold dinner on Mark or Ralph's account." David said with a look of the cat that had the family canary's tail feathers sticking out of his mouth.

"They still have a few minutes before they are late. Why shouldn't we wait?" His mother asked.

His sister seen his look and paled. He knew something that he was going to take great pleasure telling, which likely meant that she wasn't going to be happy at all. "You know something. Give NOW."

By this time their father had made his way toward the dinner table and was also curious what his youngest knew.

"Well, ... I've just never heard of anyone ever getting handcuffed and escorted to jail, ... oh an hour ago and then make it home for dinner." David said slow enough to drag the information out.

Robin replied, "What? Why?"

Before David could answer her, his father held up his hand for his daughter to hush, "My turn. Your brother was arrested? Where? When and why?"

David shrugged, "Well, it sure looked that way to me. I stopped at the garage when I seen Robin's car parked BY LUKE DUKE's car, ..." Then something dawned on him, "HEY! WHY is your car there and you are here?"

Robin started to reply but again stopped by her father, "Never mind that. What about Mark?"

"Well, I never made it inside. When I got to the door it looked like Ralph and Luke were really trying to hurt each other. Then the next I knew Mark, Cooter, Bo and their other cousin was into it with them. That's when the Sheriff arrived and took them all in." David said playing up his own innocence as he went.

"Let's eat." Robin's father said as he stopped the protests he knew he'd get from his wife and daughter, "I've told them all that if they want to go getting in trouble with the law, they better have a plan to get out of it on their own."

As dinner was winding down a familiar sound was heard by all. Robin was the first to react to the sound of Luke's car pulling into the driveway. She came out of her seat eyes wide and pulse racing. Everyone at the table saw her reaction as she went to the window where she saw not Luke but his cousins and Mark. Trying to play off the reaction she went to the refrigerator and got a glass of tea, then returned to the table.

Her parents seen her reaction as they too knew the car, but had bigger 'fish' to fry as they heard their oldest come through the door.

Unfortunately for Robin, her parents weren't the only one to see her react to the sound of her EX boyfriends car. Her younger brother saw her reaction too. He 'filed' it back as ammunition for a later time.

Mark had known he was late for dinner and knew that he was in for it when he saw his brother's truck in the yard. He looked at his clothes and noticed that had gotten dirty while trying to break up the fight and noticed his torn jeans. Taking off his boots, Mark heard Jeb back out and head for home. Jesse had given them only ten extra minutes to get him to the house and be behind them at their farm. When Mark stepped into the kitchen things went down hill.

His father looked him up and down and only said, "Well,..."

Though he knew David had been more than helpful to tell everything he thought that he knew, Mark tried, "I took Robin's car to the garage like I said. I was waiting with the guys for Cooter close to give me a ride here. We were setting around talking when," He looked at his sister knowing he was about to start a war. He continued, "When that turnip brain she's dating came charging in and attacked Luke for evidently NO reason. At least none that we know of." He looked at Robin wondering if she may know why Ralph would act like that.

"Hey! What are you giving me that look for?" Robin said a bit louder than she should have.

"Well, I was just wondering if Turnip Brain **had** a reason to be mad at Luke. You two ain't talking again are you?" Mark asked. He had seen it happen with Luke and Robin more times than he cared to count.

"No! We ain't!" Robin fumed. "I have no idea **why**, ..." She paused and got even paler, then looked from Mark to David and back to Mark, "Where did you park my car?"

"At the garage!" Mark said back to her sharply.

Robin rolled her eyes, "Where at, AT the garage, Stupid!" She looked up in time to see both her parents shoot her a look.

Mark shrugged, "The end of the lot where I usually park."

"Where was Luke parked?" Robin asked.

Totally baffled by that question, Mark replied, "I **don't ****know**. I didn't pay attention. What difference does THAT make."

David was grinning widely.

"What?" Mark asked.

David shrugged, "It sure looked real cozy like with both those cars parked side by side like they were when I rolled up."

Mark looked at David, "Hey why was you there anyway?"

As innocently as he could manage, David replied, "Waiting on Ralph."

"Waiting on Ralph? Meaning exactly WHAT?" Mark jumped on David's last statement as he leaned over the kitchen table toward his brother.

David was leaning way back in his seat trying to avoid his older brother. "See I was just givin' him a ride out here, ..."

"When you just happened to stop at the garage?" Mark asked.

"No, no, it was nothing like that see first, ..." David was cut off.

"You just happened to point out my car, right?" Robin knew her brother too well. She didn't have to wait on the reply. Everything fit now. "Oh great!" Robin nearly yelled at Mark, "YOU started this whole thing. How could you have parked **my car** by LUKE? ..." Then she turned to David, "And YOU added fuel to an open FLAME!" She turned and stormed to her room.

Mark watched his sister storm off. He was still confused by how he had done anything wrong. "What did I do?"

His father seen the amused look on his youngest son's face. He pointed to David, "I think you can just head up to your room for the evening." Then to his oldest, he replied, "And then we'll figure out just what you did and how you managed to end up handcuffed and taken to the jail."

Mark tried not to shake his head at this turn of events. He should have know David would not have left those details out. He figured he'd spend the rest of the night explaining how he hadn't done anything but try to be helpful all day.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse arrived at the Courthouse and was shown into the Judge's Chambers where Judge Hardcastle was reading his reports. Jesse spoke when he looked up, "Good morning, Judge Hardcastle."

The Judge looked up at his long time friend, "Jesse. ... " There was a long pause before the Judge continued, "What am I supposed to do with those boys?"

Jesse over at the Judge a bit confused. He hadn't expected that question. "Excuse me?"

Hardcastle sighed, "Jesse we've been friends a long while. I can't let that influence my judgment here, but I've tried to get through to those two. I've locked them up, taken their license, fined them. What's it going to take to keep them from really hurting each other? You saw them. They both were seen by the Doc. I don't want to have to send either or both of them to prison. I know they have had something between them for a long while now. What is at the bottom of this conflict?"

Jesse sighed, "If I knew exactly what happened Milt I'd tell you. Basically, I'd say it boils down to a girl."

Milt had been young once and had to give his friend a slight grin, "A girl? You can't be serious?"

Jesse nodded, "I'm afraid so. Of course it started with football, then there was the racing, but when push comes to shove, there is a girl involved."

Hardcastle couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You know right now I could lock them up for a year easy, more than that if I pushed. I really don't want to do that and it's obvious from their return that the first time I locked them up together it didn't help anything. They haven't been out of here,..." He looked at the clock, "A week yet and they are back here. I know you need your boys to work the farm but I can't ignore what is going on either. Do you have any suggestions at all?"

Jesse thought a long minute before answering the judge, "Milt I've punished my boys. I've whipped them. That one downstairs has ate more meals standing at my mantel than I can count. Don't get me wrong, ..."

Milt nodded. He knew what Jesse was going to say, "I know. He's a good kid. All your kids are. I can't just let this go."

Jesse nodded his understanding. He didn't want to see Luke away from the house one more minute over all this. He had talked to Bo and Jeb after they got home last night and only to Luke briefly. Everything Jesse heard was that Luke was jumped and no one knew why. "All I know from talking to my other two boys who were there when this all went down was that Luke was jumped. No one including Luke when I talked to last night knew why." Jesse held up his hand, "Yes, I know the Green boy also was hurt. Milt I know my boy. I raised him like I was raised. He's not gonna take someone jumping him and not fight back especially if he don't know why. All I can suggest now is for you to just talk to him. I've found talking to him these past couple years has had better results than anything I've tried. I also understand that you have a job to do, but you are right. I do need them boys to be able to keep that old farm going."

Hardcastle nodded as Jesse headed to the door, "Thanks Jesse. I'll do what I can." Once he was alone again in his Chambers the Judge read over each and every statement and the doctors reports very slowly then he read them again. He was at his wits end with these two and more than ready to throw the bookcase at both of the hard headed young men. After considerable thought Hardcastle rang the Sheriff, "Bring Duke up here."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Luke was standing in his County issued bright orange jumpsuit and flip flops that he had been given after Doc had finished patching him up the night before. He found he could at least breath easier if he was standing up. When he heard steps coming down the stairs, Luke felt relief and dread. Relief that he may soon be going home. Dread because he wasn't at all certain for how long. He knew the Judge would be less than happy to see him back less than a week since he was released for a far too similar charge.

Rosco said, "Alright Luke you know the drill by now. Over here to the bars." Rosco got a set of leg irons and took out his hand cuffs.

Luke's stubborn pride had been known to get him into some deep trouble in his life and he very seldom asked for anything. He felt it showed a sign of weakness and Luke Duke even at this young age was not a weak man by definition. As Luke stepped toward the cell door, he stopped about a foot away. "Sheriff, ... I ain't going no wheres, I know you have your policy to follow and all, but could you put those in the front?"

Rosco sized up the young man in front of him. He knew the young man's injuries. He also saw just how hard it was for the youth to ask for this. Rosco had never seen a Duke show pain or weakness, ever. The request spoke volumes about how much pain the youth must be in to have swallowed his pride enough to ask for an exception. Rosco simply replied, "This time."

"Thanks." Luke waited patiently for the Sheriff to place the handcuffs on his wrists in front of him and the leg irons on, then open the cell door. After opening the gate that lead to the stairs, Rosco said, "Judge wants to see you in his Chambers."

"In his Chambers? Why?" Luke asked.

"That's not up to me." Rosco said as he took Luke to the Judge's door and knocked.

"Come in." Hardcastle said gruffly.

Rosco opened the door and both he and Luke stepped inside the Judge's Chambers.

Judge Hardcastle noticed the young mans calculated movements as he tired to avoid causing himself anymore pain. He knew from the doctors report that the young Duke had several bruised and broken ribs on his left side. "Sheriff you can leave us. Wait outside the door."

Rosco looked shocked by the Judge's request.

The Judge undid his robe and in doing so revealed a shoulder holster, "Sheriff I'm better armed than you are. Besides, Mr. Duke here isn't going anywhere are you son?"

"No, Sir." Luke said.

"Good. Good. Now, since we have that cleared up, Sheriff if you will leave us so that we can have ourselves a nice long talk off the record." Hardcastle stated.

Rosco was still surprised by this but who was he to argue with the Judge.

After Rosco had shut the door, Judge Hardcastle began, "As you know the Sheriff is outside, I'm in here, that window is the only other way out of here."

"Judge, ... I'm not going any, ... where until you, ... tell me to." Luke replied in gasps as he tried unsuccessfully due to the pain from the broken ribs to speak a full sentence.

Judge Hardcastle advised, "Take a seat."

Luke made his way to the Judge's desk and painfully took the offered seat across from the Judge.

Hardcastle had taken his own seat behind his desk. After a couple of minutes of sizing up his friends nephew he began, "What's about to happen here this morning is that we are going to get to know each other a bit. I want you to be as honest with me as you would be in the Courtroom. Anything that goes on in these Chambers between us is confidential and I reserve the right to deny any of it. As I told the Sheriff, this is all totally off the record. At times I do have some unprecedented ways of handling my cases. I think this will be one of those times."

Luke was listening intently as he too was trying to size up the Judge.

Hardcastle reached in his desk draw and took out a small set of keys. He looked at them before saying, "If we are to get to understand each other there has got to be some degree of trust between us." He slid the keys across the desk toward Luke who was setting very upright due to his taped ribs. "I don't think we need those cuffs on, do you?"

Luke was more than surprised, but replied, "No, Sir."

"Good. Good. Just take them off and put them on the desk." Hardcastle said as he opened another drawer of his desk and stopped, "You were drinking the night you were arrested for that fight and for racing weren't you?"

Luke tried to answer clearly, "I had drank a couple beers after the race and before the fight."

"What about last night?" Hardcastle asked.

Luke answered truthfully, "Yes."

"How much had you drank?" Hardcastle asked.

Luke hoped this wasn't a trick question to get him in deeper. "There was five of us there. I wasn't driving of course, so I'd say it was safe to say I'd had more than my share of the case of beer that was there."

"Were you drunk?" The Judge asked.

"Truthfully, I was working on it but no." Luke replied.

Hardcastle asked, "If you based last night on the drunkest you'd ever been, how far gone were you? On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being your worst."

Luke nearly tried to fudge his answer, but thought better of it and replied honestly, "A four, five would be a stretch."

Hardcastle had done the math and knew Luke's share of the case would have been nearly five beers and by his own admission he'd had more than that. "Other than beer and your Uncle's brew, what's your drink of choice?"

Luke's had to try to keep his eyes from bugging out of his head.

Hardcastle said, "Your uncle and I go way back. That may just be why we are having this talk now, but I have a job to do and will do it."

Luke wasn't sure why he was being asked this, but replied, "I usually drink Jim Beam."

"Would you be opposed to Jack Daniels?" The Judge asked.

"No, Sir." Luke replied.

"Good. Good." The Judge reached in his desk drawer and took out two large shot glasses and a decanter of amber liquid, then he reached in the small refrigerator behind him and took out two cans of Coke. From the decanter he poured two rather healthy shots of Jack Daniels, then slide one and a can of Coke toward Luke.

Luke looked from the poured drink to the Judge a couple of times.

Hardcastle took a sip of his drink, then chased it with a drink of Coke, "Now, will you **please**, tell me what all this is between you and Mr. Green?"

Luke still had not touched his drink, but started his reply, "We were all at Cooter's ..."

Hardcastle held up his hand. "No, son. I'm not asking you yet about last night. What is at the bottom of your all's problem?"

Luke thought back. He knew they had been on opposite sides when they played high school ball together. Sure there was problems out on the field between them that only amplified over the years. As he started to answer, the Judge cut him off.

"The drink is to drink. It's not a test. Frankly, you look like you could use it." Hardcastle advised.

Luke didn't want to admit to anyone right now but if the truth was known he could have used the entire decanter to try to get his pain to back off. Doc had known he'd been drinking earlier therefore, had not left him anything but over the counter Motrin for the pain. "Thanks." He took a controlled drink and chased it with the Coke, "For the drink I mean. ... As for Ralph and me, ... when we played football against each other. It seems to go back to the very first game we played. It always seemed he was out to get try to hurt me to get me out of the game."

"So this is about football?" Hardcastle thought he'd heard it all now.

"No, that is just where it started, then it got complicated." Luke said as he took another drink from his glass. "You see I dated this girl for a long while. So long in fact that we decided one weekend when Hazzard had an open weekend that we'd both go out with out friends not each other. All us guys decided to do a bit of scouting so we went to the Chickasaw game."

The Judge was setting back listening intently as he added, "Should I take it that you all were scouting out more that just Chickasaws team?"

Luke shrugged and gave a slight smile. "I had gotten a phone number from a Placid cheerleader when we played them. Placid just happened to be open too. I had arranged to meet her at the game. What I didn't know until later was that a certain Placid player used to date this cheerleader." Luke paused for another drink before continuing, "That particular player had also managed to arrange to meet 'my girl' there."

"Let clarify this." Judge Hardcastle said, "So you were meeting Green's girl and he was meeting yours?"

Luke nodded, "You got it. Only Ralph was not dating, ummmm, ... ah, ... Carolyn at the time."

"I take it this is where it hit the fan?" Hardcastle thought he was beginning to see the rest of the story but to his surprise Luke had replied, "No." Hardcastle reached for the decanter and said, "What do you mean 'No.'?"

"After that things got better between me and the girl for about the next year, year and a half things were pretty much good. Around Christmas our Senior year I started to notice things weren't 'right' and by Spring break they had went really down hill. She wanted more than I was ready to give. Shortly before prom last year we talked. I had heard that she had been seen with Green, but I hadn't seen them together. She basically told me that if I could promise her that we'd be married in two years that we'd go to the prom and things would be back to normal. I asked her what happened if I couldn't tell her that. She flat out told me that she would go to the prom and marry someone else. When I asked who, ... "

Hardcastle didn't have to ask, "She replied, Green?"

Luke nodded as he took a drink from the second glass the Judge had poured him.

"So what does all this have to do with the last incident you two were involved in?" Hardcastle asked.

"Like I told you before, we raced. I won. He went in the ditch and I helped get his car out. He then called me a cheat. We fought." Luke said briefly. Then took another drink of Jack Daniels this time he didn't bother with the chaser. It was beginning to ease the pain some as long as he was still.

"And this time?" Hardcastle asked.

"Honestly I have no idea." Luke replied.

Hardcastle fished deeper, "Have you talked to the girl? Seen her?"

Luke thought, "Not since last Friday night. She had car problems. I helped her out. I also ran head to head with her younger brother and Green because of it. We settled it. Her younger brother had told him only enough to try to cause problems. But that is over. I ain't even seen her since I seen her at a distance in church on Sunday and I ain't seen Green since he left the Boar's Nest on Friday night."

Judge Hardcastle knew one important bit of information had been left out here, "Who's the girl?"

Luke took as deep a breath as he could manage, before replying, "Robin McCormick."

"Bill's girl?" Hardcastle asked.

Luke replied as he took another drink of Jack Daniels, "Yes, Sir."

"Didn't I see a statement from a McCormick?" The Judge asked as he shuffled papers, "Yes. Here it is. A Mark McCormick."

Luke explained, "That's her older brother."

Hardcastle read the statement again from her brother. "Why was he with you?"

Luke said, "He wasn't really with me. I was at the garage with my cousins. He just showed up and joined us for a beer." Come to think about it with everything going on with Deputy Petticord, Mark had never said why he was there.

"Then what?" Hardcastle asked.

"We were setting around talking and having a beer. I looked up and saw Green coming at me full force. I didn't even have time to get up. He hit me like he would have on a football field. All out. He took me and Mark down when he pounced." Luke said as he took another drink from the glass and this time chased it.

"Who all was in the fight?" Hardcastle asked.

"I went to the floor with Mark. Ralph was on top of us. The others as best I can remember were trying to get him off of us." Luke said.

"If he jumped you, how did his nose get broken?" Hardcastle asked.

Luke emptied his glass, "Judge I had been taken down twice and I'd tried everything else I knew to get him off me. I hit him with my head. His nose got in the way."

To be fair about this Hardcastle asked, "What happened to you to get the broken ribs?"

"Well, when he took me out of the chair and landed on me it didn't help anything. That was the side I landed on. There was some hits and his shoulder rammed me a couple times but I'd say the main cause was when he kicked me with his boot." Luke stated.

"That seemed like a pretty serious fight to not know what it was about." Hardcastle said.

Luke replied, "All I was trying to do was get him off of me He seemed real intent on hurting me and no I still don't know why."

Hardcastle thought for a minute and then said, "I think I'm going to make a phone call." He picked up the phone and asked for the McCormick residence.

Luke could only hear the Judge's side of the call so he was still in the dark.

"Who's speaking?" The judge asked. "Good. This is Judge Milton C. Hardcastle. Could you come to my office within the hour. I have some friends of yours here and I'd actually like to talk to you and see why they keep turning up here."

Luke could not tell exactly who the Judge was talking to at this point.

"By the way, Ms. McCormick, if you can bring your brother Mark with you. I'd also like to speak to him. Thank you. See you then." Hardcastle said as he hung up the phone.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Wonder what's gonna happen once Robin gets to the office? Please review and I'll work a bit faster so you can find out sooner. Thanks - DixieDavenport.


	38. Will the Truth Really Set You Free?

We've all heard that the 'Truth will set you free'. Will it? In Hazzard County?

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 38

To Luke it seemed that he had been in the Judge's Chambers forever. The small amount of offered alcohol had taken the edge off his discomfort. When Luke heard the soft knock on the Judge's door, he took in his appearance. He was dressed in a bright orange jump suit. At this moment he hated the color. Thankfully his hands were still uncuffed while he still wore the leg irons. Luke unconsciously folded his legs together and tried to tuck them under his chair in an effort to hide the restraints he was still wearing.

The back of the chair that Luke was setting in was a high back chair. From the door of the Judge's office he could not be seen. Hardcastle reminded as he went to the door, "Just stay still until I talk to them." Hardcastle said.

Luke nodded.

Hardcastle moved from his large desk where he and Luke had been talking to a smaller desk after he had opened the door. Hardcastle offered Robin and her brother a seat at the smaller desk. The first thing the older man did was take in the young woman that apparently was the center of the troubles between the two young men. She was nice looking with her long hair, but she was no model. Once everyone had taken their seats Hardcastle said to the girl, "Can you tell me what you know about why Luke (Lucas) Duke and Ralph Green are continuing to have problems with each other?"

Being that this was her first time being involved in any court proceedings it took a minute or two for Robin to find her voice, "Your Honor, I know they have had problems since high school football. I used to date Luke, but that has been months ago. After we broke up I have been seeing Ralph." She paused, "I actually have accepted his marriage proposal, though we have not set a date."

Hardcastle filed that information in his head before asking, "Do you have any idea why Ralph Green would have attacked Luke Duke at the Hazzard Garage without anyone there knowing why?"

Robin thought a minute about how to word her answer, "Only from what I heard from my brothers, " she looked at Mark before adding, "He took my car to the garage to be worked on. I only recently found out that he parked my car by Luke's. It also seems that my younger brother was giving Ralph a ride, saw my car parked by Luke's and pointed it out to Ralph."

Luke was finding it hard to stay silent where he was seated but at least for the time being held his peace.

"That was enough to make him suspect that you were somewhere with Luke Duke?" The judge asked.

Luke's temper was passing simmer.

"I really don't know for sure. I haven't talked to Ralph, but that's the only conclusion I can come up with." The young woman said.

The Judge looked at Mark, "Do you have any idea what went on other than what is in your statement that you gave the Sheriff?"

"Like it says I went to the garage in Robin's car to get it repaired and parked it out of the way. When I got home last night it came out that where I parked Robin's car had been pointed out to that Turnip Brain, " Mark pointed at his sister, "that she is dating by pipsqueak of a brother of mine. It had the effect of dropping a lite match into a keg of black powder."

Hardcastle couldn't help but grin slightly at the young man's opinions, but warned, "I normally don't allow name calling in my court. I'll allow that, but no more."

Mark replied, "Sorry, Judge."

"As for you Miss, if a man is that jealous before he puts a ring on your finger, how will it be after he does?" Hardcastle asked. He had noticed that even though the young girl before him advised him that she had accepted Green's proposal she still was not wearing an engagement ring.

Robin nodded. For the first time she was thinking that maybe, just maybe the judge had a point.

"Alright. Thanks for coming down here and talking to me. If you're not in too big of a hurry could you wait outside a few more minutes?" Hardcastle asked.

Both agreed after looking with at the other they replied, "Sure."

After the two went outside the door, Hardcastle returned to his desk where Luke was, "Is Green really the 'Turnip Brain' they just described?"

"And then some." Luke replied.

Hardcastle asked, "Their younger brother. Would he really point out the vehicles were parked together to get a reaction?"

Luke replied honestly, "In a heartbeat. In fact it was just last week that Robin had car trouble and I helped her. She went on her way and I went out with my date. Ralph and I nearly got into it then, but I was able to show him he'd been set up when we watched Robin's younger brother's truck leave out like his tail was on fire."

Judge Hardcastle set back in his desk chair considering all that he had heard. He looked at Luke, "Do you want this over with today?"

"Over with?" Luke repeated. He had not followed the Judge's thoughts.

Hardcastle explained, "What I'm suggesting is skip a bond hearing and go right to the hearing."

Luke had not heard of that before but if the Judge suggested it then it surely was legal. "Fine by me. I think."

Hardcastle assured him as he tossed the hand cuffs to him, "Put those back on. Wave the bond hearing. It'll be fine."

Something in the Judge's calm manner reminded him of Jesse. Luke did as he was told.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Once Jesse was seated, Rosco brought Luke in from the Judge's Chambers before the Judge entered the room. The court was called to order. Judge Hardcastle went on record to say, "The defendant and I have talked in Chambers. I have read the statements. At this time Lucas Duke is being charged with Battery. For a charge of Battery, if convicted or a plea of guilty entered, Lucas understands that he could be sentenced up to 12 months in the County and/or Tri-Counties jail."

Luke grimaced. He didn't remember that being a part of their talk, though he vaguely remembered it from the last time. He looked down at the cuffs on his hands as the Judge continued.

"At this time, I am giving Mr. Duke here an option to wave a bond hearing and us go straight to court proceedings." Judge Hardcastle explained, "Mr. Duke, do you agree to go straight to court proceedings and wave the bond hearing?"

Luke knew the Judge had more than suggested this option, but thinking about next twelve months behind bars if he was found guilty. Luke wasn't certain he wanted to go that way. Hurt and behind bars had proved not to be anywhere near bearable. Yet, the Judge had more than insisted that he agree. Finally, he found his voice and decided to trust the older man, "Yes, Sir. I'll wave the bond hearing."

Judge Hardcastle nodded, "You have been charged with battery. How do you plead?"

Luke knew that he had only tried to defend himself, so he replied, "Not guilty."

Hardcastle couldn't let that plead stand as the other man was also injured. "Lucas Duke, I will have to find you guilty on the charge of Battery."

Luke's eyes went wide but he wisely contained his thoughts.

Judge Hardcastle continued, "Since from all reports your acts of Battery were done as a means of self defense I'll sentence you to Time Served on this charge."

If Luke had been able to have been holding a deep breath he would have let it out right then.

Hardcastle warned, "Understand you still have until next Friday just after midnight before your license will be reinstated from your previous charges. Sheriff, Mr. Duke is free to go."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Rosco was taking Luke down to change into his clothes as they passed Ralph's cell.

Ralph asked, "When do I get to tell my side of this?"

Sheriff Coltrane replied, "Just after he's released."

"Released?" Ralph questioned.

Luke suggested as he walked down stairs, "Just go along with him if he gives you the chance to wave a bond hearing." Something told Luke it would be a different outcome for Green.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Hardcastle did indeed give Ralph the option of waving his bond hearing. He figured that if Luke could get out by waving his bond hearing then surely Ralph could. So he did wave the bond hearing.

Hardcastle was glad that Rosco and Deputy Petticord were both in the court room as he didn't think that the young man before him was going to be very happy. "How do you plead to the charge of Battery?"

Ralph replied, "Not guilty. He attacked me."

Hardcastle gave Rosco and the Deputy a look, then proceeded, "Mr. Green due to the statements and reports I have to find you guilty as I did Mr. Duke. I also find that you were the aggressor in this fight, so I am sentencing you to 15 days in the County jail."

Ralph said, "You can't be serious. Look at me. The Doc will tell you he hurt me. I got it you are only doing this cause he bribed you."

Hardcastle simply said, "30 days."

Rosco and Deputy Petticord were now on both sides of the cuffed man and were attempting to get him to calm down.

Once Green felt hands on his arms he began to fight them in an attempt to fight them off. Since he was still wearing the cuffs and leg irons his fight was about useless. He continued to shout remarks about how and why Luke had gotten off the charge.

"Forty-five days." Hardcastle said.

Green now began to curse the Judge.

"Sixty days." Hardcastle said.

Still not willing give up Ralph continued and attempted to elbow Deputy Petticord.

Hardcastle seen this and said harshly, "Mr Green. Ninety days at Tri-Counties. Any more resistance and I'll bring you back in on Contempt of Court charges as well as Battery to a police officer and give you the full year on this charge. Now stand up and walk out of here like a man."

The Judge's words had gotten through to Ralph as he let himself be taken out of the courtroom. Only as he was in the hall did he see Robin and Mark.

Robin's eyes met his. She had seen enough of what had went on in the courtroom that when their eyes met she dropped her gaze in shame and shook her head.

From there on Rosco and Deputy Petticord had their hands full until they got him to the down stairs cell next to where Luke had spent the night.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Outside the courthouse Mark and Robin were just coming out as Luke waited for Jesse to bring the truck over. Jesse had insisted Luke not walk to the truck.

Robin looked at Luke, "I'm sorry about all this."

"You didn't, …. do it... You can't, …. help, …. his actions." Luke said as he still found it painful to do much talking.

Robin went to Luke and hugged him tightly, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

Luke had seen her coming at him and had already tensed before she hugged him.

Robin had felt Luke guard himself from her before. Back when he played football, "Something wrong?"

Luke merely shook his head 'no'. It was all he could manage at the moment. He barely managed to get out, "Take care." Then he headed for the pick up.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

By Friday afternoon, John was beginning to wonder if his actions the previous week had been such a good idea. No he wouldn't have changed running blocker for Jesse and Jeb for nothing in this world. However, with each passing day since he'd tried to calm Pauline's temper with his attentions, she had gotten more and more moody. He knew the reason. He was sure he knew the reason. She was worried. John had been reminded a bit too late to care that Pauline had not been back to see her doctor for birth control since the twins were born. John laughed at the memory from last evening. He'd came right out and told her if she was that worried then maybe she should go see her doctor. John had barely dodged the glass she threw his way as she had declared that she would do 'No such thing.' Pauline claimed she had been mortified of embarrassment when the Doctor had confirmed her pregnancy and then topped it off by telling her she was having twins when she carried the girls. The longer she went without beginning her cycle the harder she was to live with. In fact he barely got to sleep in the same bed last night in pajamas, on top of the cover and on the edge of the bed. John would likely only admit this to himself and maybe Jesse, but having the girls so late in life had did something for his ego. Having more children even now wouldn't bother him one bit. John basically still had no one to talk to in Placid County and decided then and there to call Jesse sometime today. He knew it would have to be when Pauline was busy with the girls away from the phone. She would pitch one more fit if she caught him talking to Jesse about this.

John looked up to see Karen coming toward him.

Her face was red as a beet. "Daddy! You have got to do something with Mom. I've cleaned my room, the house, bathed the girls..." She gasped nearly in tears. "And she, she, she, ... ooohhh!" The young girl stomped her foot.

John held his arms out to his daughter, "Honey, what is wrong?"

"Danny, ... that Jeb played ball with. He finally asked me out. Mom doesn't want me to go." Karen said, "Any other time she is trying to marry me off. With Jeb not here, I already told him I'd go. Now, Mom doesn't want me to go out with him. He's not asked me before cause of Jeb."

John nodded, "Honey. Call Danny back and meet him in town. Tell Mom you are going to a girlfriend's house and I'll take care of the rest."

"But, Daddy. I don't want to lie to her." Karen said.

"Let me handle your mother for the next few days. Just go and have a good time, but not too good." John reminded.

"Daddy he's so worried about Jeb he's not even asked me out before. How scared of you do you think he is?" Karen smiled at her father. "Thanks Daddy."

He watched his oldest run off to follow up on his suggestion. John had seen enough. He went to the house to find Pauline rocking the girls in the living room. After washing his hands he went the phone and took it to the furthest point of the phone line and dialed the Hazzard operator, "Yes, Miss. Could you connect me with the Duke Farm?" John waited as she made the connection.

Jesse answered on the second ring, "Duke Farm, this is Jesse."

John let out a sigh, "I'm really glad you answered, Jesse."

Jesse heard something he couldn't quite peg in his younger brother's voice. "What's wrong John?"

"Wrong?" John repeated. "I'm not really sure I'd say anything is wrong, but I've got to talk to someone. Can you meet me up at number 7 in say two hours?"

Jesse rubbed the back of his neck. It had already been a long day. First with having to go to court with Luke, then he had spoke to Judge Hardcastle about the ticket Jeb had received. Finally Jesse and Jeb had gotten the evening chores done. Bo was still not able to help with much of the chores and now Luke would not be able to do much of anything at all for a few weeks. He was tired, but his younger brother needed him. "Two hours. Yeah see you then."

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Please don't froget to review. Thanks!


	39. In The Light of Day

Thanks for all the reviews. See Luke didn't get shafted like he could have. This is back when Hazzard was fairly honest and Boss was not so powerful.

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Chapter 39

After Mark and Robin had watched Luke get into Jesse's pickup and drive off. Mark looked at his younger sister, "Just for the record. You're making a mistake with Turnip Brain."

"And you're not with Sharon?" Robin fired back.

Mark replied, "I didn't say that. So are you going to go see him?"

Robin felt really small right then. She didn't feel like the eighteen year old college bound woman, but rather the eight year old that had went to her Daddy after wrecking her new bike, "No... Daddy wouldn't approve, ... besides after that out burst in the courtroom. No, ... I'm not going to see him."

Mark couldn't help but to feel relieved, "Alright then, let's get home."

From the cell that Ralph was in downstairs of the courthouse he could see Robin and Mark talking but couldn't hear what was being said. He hadn't calmed down from his earlier fit in time to be at the window when Robin had hugged Luke. He **was** there to see 'his girl' leave the courthouse without so much as an attempt to see him, that would only add to his foul mood. _How on Earth had Duke walked out of there 'Scott free' and him get fifteen days? _Then, he began to remember the rest of the events upstairs. Only now was the Judge's final words sinking into his mind. Ninety days at Tri- Counties? He looked over at the desk across the room where the Sheriff was shuffling papers. "Sheriff. The Judge said ninety dayS at Tri Counties. What's the difference in there and here?"

Rosco giggled just a bit before answering, "Well, for starters, you'll be closer to home. Tri-Counties is the jail for Hazzard, Chickasaw, and Placid Counties. When someone is sentenced for longer than the County jails can hold them or if we arrest more people than the smaller jails can hold, we can send them over to Tri-Counties to serve their sentence or until they go to court. It's a lot bigger than here. More staff, too."

That really hadn't answered Ralph's questions but he'd always heard bigger was better. At least that was what he'd tried to tell himself. The way the Sheriff had beamed as he told Ralph of his faith, it had set bells of alarm off inside him though he had no idea why. Only now was Ralph beginning to notice that he was feeling pain in places he didn't even know that he had before now.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse walked out on the porch after talking to his youngest brother. Luke was leaning against the banister, Bo was on the swing and Jeb was setting on the top step. "Boys I'm going out for a spell. I know it's Friday night, but, ... after last night..."

Luke spoke up, "None of us had, ... anything, ... to do, ... with that."

Jesse shot Luke a warning look. "We'll talk later. Now, what I was going to say, ... I know ya'll are likely going to head out of here in a bit. Just try to lay low, huh?"

Luke again was the first to speak up, "You ain't got, ... to worry about me, ... getting into much, ... of anything, ... other than, ... a bit of, ... pain relieving, ... refreshments."

Jesse eyed his oldest, "That's what worries me. You could do that here. But, I know you ain't gonna stay home, so I ain't gonna waste my breath."

Luke was relieved to hear that because at the moment he didn't have a lot of breath to argue with anyone.

Jeb looked at Jesse in concern, "You ain't workin' tonight are you?"

"No. Not tonight. Just going out for a spell." Jesse replied as he headed off to his truck.

That relieved all his nephews, two of which were little or no help, and the other had been appointed their driver. Had Jesse been going out to work the still, all of them would have felt guilty not going along. Bo looked at them, "So what are we waitin' for?"

Luke looked from Jeb to Bo and replied, "Not much, ... I guess."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

John Duke walked back into his living room and seen both girls sound asleep in his wife's arms. "Want me to put them down in the play pen for you?"

Pauline replied as she rocked, "They are fine. Where did Karen get off too?"

John said, "Well, she said a boy had asked her out and you were less than happy about it."

"I'll say. He was on the football team. Now John David you know how those boys are." Pauline said with exasperation.

John chose his words cautiously, "Pauline, Honey, I played ever sport there was, so did my brothers."

"See!" She said as if his words made perfect since as to why their daughter shouldn't date someone who played football.

John tried a different angle, "Jeb plays football." He said gently.

Pauline gave him a smile, "You wanted the girls nursey beside his room, why?"

John tried to hide the look he knew just crossed his face. She won. He lost. "Yeah, well, Karen said since she couldn't go out with the young man, that she was going to head over to her friends. She is likely still getting ready. Her car is still out front." John paused before he spoke the closest thing to a lie that he'd told his wife in a lot of years, "I'm gonna run up town to check on somethings then I think I'll make a loop around the place. Check some of the fences I ain't seen in a spell."

Pauline looked up at John. She knew how much land that her family's place, that John now ran, took in, "That will take forever."

John replied, "Shouldn't take more than a few hours. It needs to be done." In truth the fences did need checked and he'd get someone on it tomorrow. As for going up town, he planned to go right through it on his way to Hazzard.

Pauline sighed. She hated when John David acted so responsible. Yes, she had wanted him to simmer down for the first few years of their marriage, then when he did, he had become so responsible that sometimes it got in the way of their time together. Then she remembered the last time they had spent time together. She blushed crimson and said, "Just don't be too long. I'll delay dinner a bit so it won't be cold."

"In this heat I doubt it will be cold even if I am late. I'll try not to be long." He said honestly. He had not intention of staying out late he only wanted to go talk to Jesse for a bit face to face.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse parked his truck in a thicket near the still site, reached behind the seat for his shot gun that was loaded only with rock salt and headed off toward the still.

John hadn't used this still in years and wasn't sure if Jesse had or not. He made sure that he wasn't followed as he took the trail that lead to the path near the still. John smiled as he parked his green truck off the road in some bushes. He now remembered why he had chosen a green truck. Out of habit he reached behind his own truck seat for his old shot gun as he found the path that he used to use often.

Jesse was leaning against a tree a few yards off from the covered and camouflaged still as he saw his youngest brother step out into the clearing. He set stone still as his brother approached the still with caution.

John had made a complete loop around the still looking for Jesse and checking out the condition of the covered still. He was about to think that he'd beaten Jesse there until he saw his oldest brother in plain sight setting against an oak tree but he was now waving his red cap in the air. Jesse's waving of his cap had been what caused John to see Jesse. He knew that he should have seen him as soon as he stepped into the clearing. John also knew he would hear about that fact before he left this mountain.

John walked over to Jesse who had a grin from ear to ear as he said just above a whisper, "You should have seen me here. Now just what would ya have done if I'd been Andy settin' here?" Jesse handed him a mason jar.

John took the jar, smiled and replied lowly, "Hoped I ain't forgot how to out run him back to my truck." Both brothers knew how voices traveled in the mountains.

After they exchanged a couple of drinks, Jesse asked, "Now, what in tar nation is so blamed important that we couldn't have talked about in on the teleaphone?"

"First, you know how many people would have known our conversation by now if we'd talked on the phone." John said, "Besides, Pauline would kill me if she knew I was here talking to you about **this**."

Jesse knew now why he had so much patience with his nephews, his brothers had given him a lot of practice. "This. What is this? That leaves a lot of topics there John."

John nodded. "Yes it does." He sighed loudly stalling a few more minutes before he began, "Jesse you know how surprised everyone was when they found out about the twins."

"Well, why wouldn't we have been surprised when Pauline got out of the car Thanksgiving already showing. Ya'll hadn't mentioned a word about it before that." Jesse said.

"I know. Again, that was her choice. I think she was kind of embarrassed. I know Jeb and Karen were mortified. But, you know, it kind of had the opposite effect on me, especially after we found out she was having twins." John explained.

Jesse waited patiently as he watched John take another sip from the jar.

John continued, "Well, we've been busy like you have been especially since Emily and Emma was born. You know how private Pauline can be. Well, after I spoke to you and knew Jeb was with you and the boys were not around to help ya, I had been paying a bit more attention to the CB than I usually do. Something didn't seem right and I knew you all would have left by then so I went to bed as usual. But I'd stashed some clothes on the back porch. Once Pauline was asleep, I got up like I was going down for a snack, I dressed on the back porch, grabbed Traveler and we came out."

Jesse seen where this was going or so he thought, "Pauline found out?"

"It seems them girls are on their Momma's side. One of them woke up early and when Pauline woke up I wasn't home. I had eased up the driveway and just before I got to the house the front porch light came on. I knew how much trouble I was in when it came on." John said, "It's been years since that had happened. It was back when she was hounding me to sale Traveler because we 'needed' the money. So I'd came over to help you make a big run up to Tennessee."

"That the time we loaded Tilley and Traveler up?" Jesse asked as he took a sip of shine.

John replied, "That would be it. As you knew I had more than enough cash to hush her fussing up that night."

"But the other night you didn't have any cash." Jesse said. "John if this is about money..."

John held his hand up to stop Jesse there, "No, it's not about money. Thanks, even without your offering. Well, the more I thought about the fit she was going to throw the madder I got. So when I went in the back door, there she was glaring at me. I told her not to start with me and the best thing she could do was to go to bed and forget all about it. I stomped right through the house boots and all." John stopped to let that sink in and get a drink of shine.

Jesse grimaced at the thoughts of John wearing his boots through the house. Jesse knew how she had been with the kids even in his house.

"Yeah, well I likely broke at least a half a dozen more of 'her' house rules by the time she got in bed. She was peeved, I knew it, and for a short while I didn't care. When she got in bed I reached for her out of habit, pulled her over to me and from there, ... well, ... we'll just say that neither one of us got as much sleep as we could have." John gave Jesse a smile.

Jesse returned the smile and said, "I still remember those nights. So why are we setting out here having this talk?"

John backed up to the beginning of his conversation, "Remember I told you I'd been busy?"

Jesse replied, "Yeah."

"Well, I kind of forgot that Pauline hasn't been back to see Doc since the twins were born." John began. "Oh, she tried to tell me that night, but then we get back to the part where I didn't care."

"Are you real sure Luke ain't yours?" Jesse said meaning it only as a joke.

"No. Why?" John replied totally confused by his older brother's comment.

"Because he's just like you. That's why I had to go get him out if jail this morning." Jesse huffed.

"You what? What happened this time?" John asked concerned.

"Not so fast. I don't think you were finished." Jesse reminded.

It was true, John hadn't been finished but would have surely taken a few minutes of distraction, "No, I wasn't done. Well, you see, ..." John wasn't exactly sure how to tell Jesse the rest. "She still hasn't went back to see Doc yet."

"Well, why not?" Jesse asked.

"She says that she hasn't had a cycle since the girls were born." John replied.

Jesse tried to do the math in his head. He knew they were born during planting season. He coudn't remember the date right off so he asked, "So they are how old?"

"Nine weeks tomorrow." John replied.

Jesse nodded. "Do you think she's pregnant again?"

John shrugged his shoulders, "That was the only time, but it wasn't by any means protected. I really wouldn't mind, but here's the major problem with it all. The longer she goes without her cycle the more moody she is becoming. It's a good thing Jeb is spending the summer with you. She is driving me and Karen crazy. I barely got to sleep in my own bed last night, ... on the edge, ... and on top of the covers."

Jesse grinned, then thought about it for a few minutes. Nine weeks was a long time for her to have went without a cycle after giving birth, but he's sure it wasn't unheard of. "John a woman's body can do some really peculiar things, especially after just giving birth. Not to mention she isn't as young as she was when she had Karen or Jeb, so things have bound to have changed some. Have you suggested she go see Doc?"

"Oh, I suggested it, ... and nearly didn't miss the glass she threw at me." John said seriously.

Jesse couldn't hide the grin as he pictured his sister-in-law actually throwing a glass at her husband.

John frowned, "It wasn't funny."

"No, it likely wasn't funny, but the picture of it in my mind was." Jesse said. Then, he asked, "So why won't she go see Doc?"

"Well, she claimed to have been 'mortified with embarrassment' when he told her she was pregnant before. It didn't help at all a few months later when he told her about the twins." John said with a bit of a grin as he took another sip of shine.

Jesse studied the situation and then said, "What about those new tests that you do at home?"

John looked at Jesse. He'd heard about them, but hadn't thought about it since this was going on with Pauline. He admitted, "I've heard of them, but hadn't thought of that. That may be a good idea, but Pauline wouldn't be caught dead buying one."

Jesse just gave him that older brother look.

"Alright, I could pick on up in on my way home. I just hope she don't throw another glass at me, but if this gets any worse she'll have me sleepin' at your house." John said.

"Well, brother the door is always open." Jesse said in truth.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please review to let me know what you like / what you don't, and what you'd like to see. The next chapter is a blank page at this point. Thanks, Dix.


	40. The Night After the Day!

Adult situation warning! Nothing real graphic, but it just may imply too much for some readers. No offense meant. If it's too much for you, but you like the story I hope you can just skip those sections and continue to read. Thanks for reading.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 40

Though Pauline hadn't had little ones in her house much since Karen and Jeb were babies, she hadn't forgotten how important it was to make good use of the twins nap time. She worked up a meat loaf and had it ready to put in the oven and turn on then peeled and cut potatoes for mashed potatoes. She salted the potatoes in the water and put a lid on them also ready to just be turned on. On a normal day she would have turned the meal on to cook as she had gotten it ready but John David had let her know he'd be late so she would wait at least another hour before turning the meal on to cook.

Pauline folded the load of clothes in the dryer, put the ones from the washer in the dryer and put a load of clothes in the washer. As far back as she could remember there always seemed to be clothes in both her washer and dryer constantly.

Next she started the task of washing the girls bottles used today. There may have been fancier and newer ways of doing this, but she preferred the older way. She first washed the glass bottles, nipples, rings and caps, then rinsed them and finally put them in hot water to boil before taking them out to air dry and cool before once again refilling them with fresh formula for tonight and tomorrow. This was quite a daunting task for only one baby but for two it was twice the job. Pauline had just gotten finished, poured her a cup of coffee and took a seat hoping to relax for a few minutes when Emily woke up bright eyed and ready as if Pauline's chair had an alarm clock attacked to it signaling the baby to wake the moment she sat down. As usual it wasn't long before Emma woke up too. After getting the girls changed, Pauline figured it was safe to turn on the nights meal to cook now as she warmed up the girls bottles. Surely John David would be home soon now.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

By now the Boar's Nest was filling up with everyone who was looking to enjoy a Friday night out on the town. Robin's brother Mark was there with his girl Sharon. They were sharing a table with Cooter and his date Beverly Hibbs. When Bo, Luke and Jeb came in they found an empty table near their friends and helped themselves to moving their table together with the other table.

This was an action that more often than not got them a dirty look from Boss Hogg, but he knew the 'kids' spent nearly all their spare money here so he usually held his peace.

Mary Kay and Mary Lou had hoped to spend the night with the older two Duke boys as they headed toward the back of the bar. From out of no where Ruby beat them to the table and Mary Lou knew she did not stand a chance against the other girl. She didn't want to look like a complete fool for trying to talk to someone out of her league so she changed her plan when she seen the other Duke alone. It wasn't long before each of the Duke boys also had something warm and soft join them so they had grabbed yet another table and placed it together with the other two.

As the bar continued to fill up it wasn't long before Bo said, "How about us all heading up to the lake awhile?"

Everyone was in agreement so they jumped into their rides and headed off toward the lake where there was surely to be some racing action tonight but that wasn't exactly the action the boys were looking for tonight. Jeb, Bo and the girls took the Torinto, Luke road with Ruby, Cooter and Beverly were in the wrecker and Mark and Sharon were in his Firebird.

Once at the lake, Luke told Ruby he'd be right back as he went to his car and dug around in his trunk a bit. Soon he found what he knew was there an unopened bottle of Jim Beam. Now Luke would have preferred Jesse's shine but for nights like tonight when he obviously couldn't take his girl to the still sight to get some it paid to have something with a nice legal tax stamp on it. He also had some Sprite in the trunk.

Mark had also had a bottle of Jim Beam and colas in his trunk. With the days temperatures everything was more than room temperature so they headed for the cooler they knew was well stocked with ice on the wrecker.

Cooter seem them coming, "Now fellas, how am I supposed to keep the beer cold if you put that in here?"

Luke said, "Easy, we're only putting the chaser in there."

Bo and Jeb offered to help by each grabbing a beer. Bo said, "See there is two less you need to keep cold."

Luke even managed to get his bottle of liquor in the cooler after making a tall drink over some of the ice he removed both help make room in the cooler and cool his and Ruby's drink.

Soon some of the others began racing, someone had built a bon fire. The night was off to a good start for the group of young people.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

John took another sip of shine, "I guess I need to be heading heading out of here if I'm going to stop in Hatchapie."

Jesse said wearily, "Yeah, you should be going. Does Pauline know where you went?"

"No, ... and if it weren't for the fact that Jeb is here with you and Karen is out this evening I wouldn't care to stay right here. John replied.

Being the older wiser Duke, Jesse said, "You got to go home sometime."

John sighed, for the first time in a long time he almost dreaded going home and for about two cents he'd stop off at one of the road houses and have him a few more drinks before he went home. But, he knew that would only make matters far worse. With no more shine than he'd sipped on she was sure to pitch one more fit if she figured it out that he'd had a drink at all. John shook he head. He knew Jesse was right as usual, "Yeah, I should be heading out."

The two brothers made their way down the mountain to their trucks and headed off in opposite directions. Jesse to the farm and his recliner. John toward Hatchapie, to the drug store and then home.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Back at the lake, the racing was winding down. The bon fire was burning good. Several of the bunch had became bored with both and headed out on their own to get away from the crowd that still hung around the bon fire cuddling, talking and kissing.

Cooter had grabbed a blanket from behind his truck seat and several beers out of his cooler that the Dukes had pretty much taken over. He grabbed Beverly's hand and said, "Come on let's go down by the lake."

Beverly followed Cooter trusting that he knew where he was going since she couldn't see much at all. Once by the lake Cooter kept walking around the edge of the lake for awhile until they came to a wide spot just off the trail around the lake. Cooter spread the blanket out on the ground, then he and Beverly set down where they could watch the moon light on the lake. Cooter opened a beer and offered it to Beverly.

Beverly had never so much as smelled a beer before. She knew she was in hot water with her father if he figured out that she wasn't with her girl friends. He had forbid her to see Cooter weeks ago. Figuring that she was in already in deep, she figured a little deeper wouldn't matter. She took the offered beer.

Cooter had to smile. It looked like this was going to be a good night after all.

Jeb decided since he held the keys to Luke's car he'd head his date Mary Lou right on over and hoped to introduce her to the back seat. He was taken a little by surprise as he opened the passenger door for Mary Lou and she flipped the seat up and hopped right into the back seat. Jeb was never one to turn down a polite invitation and headed right for the back seat with her. He was sure glad his father insisted on them going to the drug store before he left for Hazzard as he felt her already unbuttoning his shirt.

The more Mary Kay came on to Bo the more he figured he'd better think fast or she was going to strip him right here in front of everyone. Then he remembered the caves not too far from the lake. He grabbed the blanket from the trunk of the Torino and took her hand, "I've got an idea." Yeah, he knew it may be a bad one, but right now it seemed to work for him. At the cave entrance Bo struck a lighter and seen what had been used as a torch. He lit it, spread out the blanket and welcomed May Kay as best he could one handed. He'd sure be glad to get this thing off his arm in a couple weeks.

Mark had already convinced Sharon to share his back seat. He was hoping to get to know her a lot better. Sharon had similar ideas but had planned to go about it differently. Mark reached for her bra hooks as Sharon took his hands, "Mark, I really need to talk to you."

Talking was the last thing the older teen had on his mind, but replied, "What about?"

Sharon got stone cold still, before saying, "You know you have tried to talk me out of hanging around that bunch from my school?"

Mark nodded 'yes', "Right."

"It may be too late for that." Sharon said.

Mark frowned, "It's never too late. What are you talking about?"

"A couple months ago I was with a bunch of them. I was in the passenger car when they went in a robbed a liquor store." Sharon let that settle in.

"But you had nothing to do with it." Mark stated hopefully.

Sharon replied, "No, I didn't. But I was caught on camera. The rest were identified one way or the other. We go to court on Monday."

This was a lot of information that Mark couldn't process right now. All he managed to do was to ask, "What can I do?"

Sharon looked him in the eye as her hands went to the button and zipper of his jeans.

Mark felt his jeans open and her hands begin to explore. He took a took a deep breath and tried to slow his pulse. He knew he was about to be taken on a ride and he didn't want to miss anything.

Ruby had lead Luke to the back of an unoccupied pickup truck. He dropped the tailgate and leaned against it. They were drinking heavily. Suddenly Luke felt his zipper going down, "Ruby, ... I'm not real, ... sure that's a, ... good idea, ... 'can barely breath, ... now, ..." He inhaled deeply against his will and he felt her hands. His body rebelled against him and refused to listen to him, instead listening to the woman that was giving it the attention it wanted. No, NEEDED. Then he felt her soft, moist hot lips. He uttered, "Oh, God!"

Ruby smiled. She knew she had him eating out of the palm of her hands, "Just relax. I'll do all the work."

Before Luke knew it Ruby was setting on his lap. True to her word he wasn't having to do anything, but at the moment breathing was hard enough. All too soon and not quiet soon enough he felt her engulf him in her presense. He tried to inhale too deeply which set off pain in his chest and ribs yet other parts of his body was is total ecstasy. A groan of thrill and pain escaped his lips as he couldn't control himself anymore.

Ruby was all too aware the Luke had lost control and a scream of passion and possession escaped her lips.

It took far too long for Luke to realize where the scream came from and to act. As quickly as he could he reached to cover Ruby's mouth with his hand.

Ruby promptly bite his hand when it came in contact with her mouth and refused to let go.

"Ahhh!" Luke mumbled. Seeing that Ruby was not going to let go of his hand anytime soon. He didn't want to hurt her, but really didn't feel like loosing part of his hand either. He reached with his other hand and wound it in her hair pulling just enough to get her to let go of his hand.

Instead of being mad, Luke's actions had woke something in Ruby she hadn't known before and she suddenly became all the more excited by his actions.

Cooter had been bummed for condoms earlier in the night by Bo. He hadn't thought much about it at the time, until now when he reached for his wallet and opened it to the section where he kept his supplies only to find there was none there. No, that couldn't be possible. He always carried several. He'd gave two to the younger Duke but there should be a couple more there. Then he remembered prom, gradutaion and several other dates he'd had with Beverly lately. He swore to himself. He knew the 'moment' would be gone if he went back to the vehicles and the others looking for a condom now.

Beverly sensed his distress. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all that I can't handle." Cooter replied as he took her in his arms. Their moments of passion continued until Cooter was about to loose his control on the situation.

Beverly gasped and dug her fingernails into his shoulders.

Cooter suddenly turned away from her and turned on to his back as he uttered a carnal growl of frustration.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

The more John drove the more he dreaded the thought of facing Pauline. He was going to be later than he had planned. Then, if she didn't throw the knife rack full of knives at him for giving her the pregnancy test he planned to buy, she was sure to do so if the test came back positive. Just when he felt like he couldn't win John rounded the curve and saw ahead of him The Boar's Nest. Thinking that Jeb may be there, he reasoned that he'd stop in just for a minute and check on his son.

NARRATOR: "Have you all ever seen someone step on a banana peel in slow motion? Well, you're about to!"

John pulled in even though he didn't see any of the 'kids' vehicles except for Daisy's Roadrunner. Once in the bar he scanned the crowded room, not seeing any of the boys he walked over to the bar. Daisy was busy on the floor so John ordered a beer from the bartender. He had decided to wait to talk to his niece to see where Jeb was at tonight. John took a stool and sipped his beer.

Daisy came behind the bar to her order, "Uncle John what are you doing here?"

"I came by to talk to your Uncle Jesse awhile. Is Jeb around?" John asked.

Daisy turned, scanned the room and replied, "They were here a while ago. I'm not sure where they headed but they will likely be back in a bit."

John finished his beer and said, "Alright I'll wait awhile. Give me a refill."

Daisy replied, "Sure thing." She took the empty mug placed it in the sink, grabbed a clean one and gave her Uncle John a refill before heading back to the floor with her tray of drinks for her tables.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

By the time Ruby was exhausted, Luke knew he'd felt more pain and pleasure at the same time than he'd ever felt at the same time in his entire life. He wasn't sure that his legs would hold him when he went to stand up. Luke did his best to straighten out his clothes.

Ruby's hair was more than just wind blown as she tried to straighten it a bit with her fingers. Ruby wasn't really worried about anyone knowing what Luke and her had been doing. In fact, this had been the first time he'd taken her out when it hadn't just been the two of them. That was good for her. There was enough girls here tonight that she was sure word would spread that her and Luke were a thing.

Luke had his arm around Ruby as they headed toward their cars. Before going to the car, Luke headed to the wrecker to fix himself a strong drink. He was now paying for his previous pleasure. His ribs were hurting now worse than they had before he started drinking tonight. Luke looked up and seen it was getting late. He wasn't about to go back to the bon fire after all the noise he knew that he and Ruby had made. Luke sent out a whippoorwill call.

Jeb swore. Luke was close by. Very close by.

Mary Lou asked, "What's a matter?"

"That's Luke and he's pretty close by." Jeb said as he handed her his shirt.

Now all Jeb had to do was to get them both dressed, clear out any evidence of what just happened in the back seat of Luke's car and get them out of the back seat without Luke knowing what happened.

Bo also knew that call was no bird, but a signal that meant it was getting late. "Mary Kay we got to be getting ready to head back."

Mary Kay was looking for her clothes in the now dimly burning torch light. She had everything except her bra and was having no luck finding it. "Bo, you didn't hide my bra did you?"

The thought of keeping the bra for a souvenir hadn't entered his mind until right now. He smiled at the thought but replied, "No, Darlin' I don't have it. It's got to be right here somewhere."

He put on his jeans, grabbed his shirt and began helping look around for the missing bra. He picked up the blanket and shook it. The bra was no where to be seen. "Can't you just not wear one home?" He asked knowing that Luke would be getting impatient soon.

"Ummm, No! My Daddy **always** stays up until I get home. You really want me to go in my house not wearing a bra when all of Hazzard seen us leave together?" Mary Kay replied.

The thought of Mary Kay's father was enough to get Bo looking in places that they hadn't even been near. He had looked everywhere he knew to look. He finally set down to put his boots on when he felt something strange in his boot. He frowned and pulled out the missing bra.

Mary Kay had been standing with her arms crossed to cover herself the best she could while they looked for her bra. As she reached for the bra, she said, "How in the world did it get in there? Thanks Bo!"

Bo was more than happy from his vantage point as he watched his date finish dressing in the flickering light. He really wished they didn't have to leave yet.

Cooter had heard Luke's call, "Bev we need to be heading back, if you want to get home on time."

Getting home on time or otherwise wasn't what Beverly wanted. She'd rather have gone home with Cooter. "What if I don't want to get home at all?"

What was a man supposed to say to something like that Cooter wondered as he tried to be reasonable, "If your late, your old man won't let you back out of the house anytime soon."

She nodded and said with a sigh, "Yeah, I know. But you said 'if you want to get home on time'. I just don't **want** to."

Cooter smiled at his girlfriend, "I know. Listen, I'm sorry about earlier. I'll be sure to go to the drugstore tomorrow."

Even in the dark Beverly felt herself blush crimson. "Ok. Are you sure it'll be alright?"

Cooter knew what she meant, "Yeah. I stopped before, ... you know."

"Thanks." Beverly said simply.

Sharon had a bad feeling about going to court on Monday. She figured that tonight she would try to make up for what she knew she may very well be missing out on for a long while. She had given herself to Mark as often as he wanted tonight.

Mark was still trying to catch his breath from their last time when he heard Luke's call. Breathlessly, he said, "They'll be coming back soon."

Sharon never moved, "It's not like they can see in." She pointed to the windows.

Even as hot as the night was, they had managed to steam up the windows to where no one could have seen in. Mark replied, "They don't have to see in. Come on we got to get dressed."

"Oh, alright." Sharon said just a bit disappointed.

Mark said, "Monday. Do you want me there?"

"Thanks, but no. It would be harder I think." Sharon replied.

"So, it's only Friday. What about tomorrow night?" Mark asked. Even though he wasn't sure that he could survive a second night like tonight.

"Sure." Sharon replied as she finished getting dressed.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

I thought this seemed a bit short but when I started the next part it leads into so much that the chapter would be far to long. Please review. Hope to post more soon.


	41. Another First and More of the Same Old S

Chapter 41

As John was just about to finish his fifth watered down beer, he figured the kids weren't coming back tonight and he should be heading on out. He had stayed long enough that he knew no drugstore in the state would be open now. John finish the beer, set the mug down and turned to scan the room for his niece so he could tell her he was leaving.

A man about John's age was setting at a near by table as he now got a good look at the man he had been watching since he came in. He was now certain he knew him though it had been a number of years. He stood up and went to the bar, "Well, well, well, ... if it ain't John Duke.

It took a full minute for John to look beyond the man's years to see none other than his old high school rival, Steve Campbell. He and Steve had always had problems. They had started with sports, girls and finally cars and moon-shining. Their disagreements only stopped after John pretty much stopped coming to Hazzard and going to the road houses. John replied not unsocially but not friendly either, "Steve."

"So what brings you back to Hazzard?" Steve asked.

Trying to just get the conversation over with, "Stopped by to see my son, but he's not here tonight."

Steve laughed and said with a grin, "Always figured you had knocked that little uppity -tch up and had to get married."

Before John could think, Steve was in the floor. His situation at home, the alcohol, his old rival plus that comment had been all it took for John to just react and not think. That had usually been what got him into so much trouble as a younger man. Yeah, he should know better now, but at the moment he just didn't care.

Daisy turned when she heard a commotion just in time to see her Uncle John send Mr. Campbell flying across the bar and into the floor. Her eyes went wide. Sure she had seen her cousins in fights like this but never dreamed of seeing any of her uncles act like this.

Steve Campbell shook his head and found his feet, then pounced on John. He hadn't gotten any smaller since high but working inside all week had soften him a bit.

John Duke worked hard and even with a little age on him, he still had what it took to hold his own in any fight.

Only due the shine and beer John had drank, Steve was able to get him to the floor. John quickly reversed the situation and was now on top and in control of the situation. He was giving Steve every bit and more of what he was receiving.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

In JD Hogg's private office of the Boar's Nest he was trying to explain things to his Sheriff, "Look Rosco I know you have always been one of the finest law men in the state, but now that I'm in office we can go places. I have the power. You have the muscle in that there badge you are wearing to get rid of any of my competition. You owe me. After all I did marry your fat sister, Lulu all those years ago. Think about it don't you want to be rich!"

Before Rosco could reply he heard a terrible commotion from the front room, he was already heading toward the door.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Jeb had just pulled Luke's Torinto back up beside the girls car as Ruby pulled in beside them. Followed by Cooter's wrecker and Mark's Firebird.

As everyone got out of the cars to say their good nights, Bo suggested, "What about one for the road?"

Being that everyone had done far more lovin' than drinking, even though Luke had managed to do a lot of both, they all readily agreed. Just as the group stepped inside they couldn't believe their eyes at the fight that was going on inside.

Even before they could make out who exactly was fighting, Sheriff Coltrane came out of the back room with his pearl handled Colt in his hand, "Alright knock it off! ... Ok, freeze! Just Freeze right there!" His words had no reaction on the fight before him. He fired two rounds into the ceiling sending glass from the over head lights everywhere! While everyone else was trying to shake off the broken glass, the Sheriff stepped up and grabbed the man on top of the fight.

John hadn't paid attention to who exactly had grabbed him and promptly shook himself loose and when back after the man who had just punched him.

Rosco uttered a few unmentionable words as he holstered his gun and reached for his handcuffs. He managed to catch hold of the man on top of the fight and get a cuff on the arm that was still in full swing toward the man on the floor. Only after the punch found it's target did Rosco get control of the man's arm as it recoiled. This motion worked for the Sheriff as he also managed to grab the man's second arm and get the second cuff in place. Using the handcuffs Rosco managed to insist the man on top get off the man on the floor. He gave the first man a not so gentle push away from him so that he could help the man on the floor up.

Once on his feet, Steve Campbell was a bit surprised to be put against the wall and handcuffs applied to his wrists that were now behind his back, even before he could register that it was the Sheriff breaking up the fight.

Rosco straightened himself, then said, "Alright Campbell, let's go." He said as he grabbed Mr. Campbell's handcuffs and used them to guide him toward the door. Only as he reached for the other man did Rosco see that it was none other than John Duke.

Mr. Campbell worked at the bank and had become a rather outstanding citizen of Hazzard. Sure he'd always had a loud mouth when he was drinking but usually wasn't any trouble. He looked appalled at the Sheriff, "You can't do THIS!"

"Watch me." Rosco said as he straightened up to his full height.

The guys had tried to shield the screaming girls as the broken glass had fallen everywhere. Only as the Sheriff approached the group with the two men who had been fighting did Luke look up. He managed to see that one of the men was his Uncle John, Jeb's father only seconds before Jeb himself looked up.

"Dad?" Jeb questioned.

John only now saw Jeb and the others. He couldn't help but drop his head as Rosco lead them out to the parking lot.

Bo managed to look up as Jeb called to none other than his father. He seem Jeb in motion.

Jeb started after the Sheriff as he took John Duke and Steve Campbell out to his car.

Luke and Bo reacted at the same time. Bo threw up his good arm. Luke reached for his younger cousin with his right arm, then cursed as the pain shot through his ribs as Jeb pulled against him. Luke was glad Bo had also grabbed him as he managed to get out, "Jeb, ... don't! I can't fight, ... you now. Let's, ... find out what, ... happened."

Cooter and Mark both knew that Luke didn't need this. They also knew the younger Duke, even if he wasn't eighteen yet, didn't need the trouble with the law. They both stepped in front of Jeb forming a wall in the doorway. As the four girls had already stepped back from whatever was going to happen.

Once the Sheriff had pulled out of the lot, the four unblocked Jeb and headed for Daisy, Luke was the first to speak, "What, ..."

Daisy held up her hand to Luke, for him to save his breath, "I heard a commotion. I looked up just in time to see Uncle John send Mr. Campbell to the floor."

Jeb exclaimed, "What? MY Dad did WHAT?"

No one had noticed the other Deputy as he walked up, "I'll remember that Miss Duke. So I take it your Uncle threw the first punch?"

Daisy looked like a deer in the headlights. She said weakly, "Yes." Then more strongly, "**No!**" Finally adding, "Ummm, ... I don't know. That was the first thing I saw." She tired to explain.

The Deputy had out a small notebook writing something in it as he looked at the boys, "Where you all in this?"

Luke replied, "No, ..."

With Bo adding, "We ain't been here two minutes. We're trying to find what happened ourselves."

Jeb added, "Come on you all we got to get Dad."

"You're wasting your time. Sheriff and Deputy Petticord will have the doors locked while they process them. Judge won't be in until morning. Ya'll can be there then." The Deputy explained.

Being that Luke had been on the other side of that locked door, he looked for help from Mark and Cooter who were older than his other cousins. "Deputy is right..." He knew Jesse would be asleep by now and there was no point in waking him. Luke also knew that none of them would get much sleep tonight. "Let's get that, ... last round. Put the girls on their way, ... then head out, ... and we'll sleep out, ... in the barn.

Cooter grinned widely. It had been awhile since they'd all camped out in the barn. He also knew there would be more drinking than sleeping going on. He looked at Mark, "I'm in."

Mark shrugged, "Why not."

Cooter added, "We'll even get the chores for you all in the morning since it don't look like any of the three of you will at your best."

That was more than Mark had bargained for but he too remembered some of the parties in that barn. He figured that he didn't have anything else going. Cooter was right, with Bo only having one arm, Luke's ribs were obviously still hurting him and now with Jeb worried about his father they were sure to need a couple extra hands. "Yeah. Sure."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Rosco knew this was neither man's first rodeo. Unlike it had been with the just a few weeks ago with the last two wet behind the ears kids. Deputy Petticord had met him outside the Courthouse. Rosco and the Deputy headed straight downstairs with the the two men. Rosco hadn't intended to change them out into orange as he had the younger two. He knew they'd both be fine in street cloths. They both had likely been drinking and would sleep until nearly time for the Judge to come in.

Deputy Petticord was freshly trained and eager to do his job well. He hoped to use this job as a stepping stone to move up to a bigger department. He automatically went to the cabinet where the freshly washed orange jumpsuits were stored. He grabbed two and two sets of flip flops.

Rosco had stopped to lock the gate behind them when he seen what the kid deputy was doing. He shrugged. It was the right way to proceed so he wouldn't call him on it in front of the prisoners but he would talk to him later and let him know that not everyone needed changed out. Rosco said, "Well, John it's been awhile. Take a seat here and I'll start your paperwork. Mr. Campbell you can go over there with Deputy Petticord."

John moved toward the seat and waited. Figuring that Rosco would uncuff him. When he seen Rosco make no move to do so he sighed deeply as he took the seat. The Sheriff was right it had been a long time since he'd seen the inside of a jail. Frankly he hadn't missed a thing.

Rosco got out a booking card and ink pen. He looked at the man before him. They had both been here before. He wrote, _'Duke, John...'_ then said, "It's Jonathan isn't it?"

John nodded, 'yes', then replied, "Right."

"Address?" Rosco asked.

John automatically replied, "Rt. 11, Box 30, Placid." He was about to take that back and use Jesse's address but the Sheriff had already began to write. John didn't need any official mail showing up from Hazzard. It would only start yet another argument, but it was too late now.

"Emergency contact?" Rosco asked.

John was now thinking. "Jesse." Then gave the farms phone number. He surely didn't need Pauline to get woke up this time of night from the jail. He was sure that he'd be in enough hot water over this without her or the girls getting woke up.

Across the room at the show area, Deputy Petticord respectfully said, "Mr. Campbell after I uncuff you. I'll need your belt, watch, wallet, and boots."

"Need my things? Why?" Mr. Campbell questioned.

"I'm going to put them up for safe keeping." The deputy explained.

Mr. Campbell was having none of that. "They are safe right where they are."

"Sir, it is policy. That way if you loose your watch for example the County isn't responsible." The young deputy replied.

Rosco heard the conversation. He liked the part about the County not being blamed for stuff. Maybe this kid had something after all. "Mr. Campbell. Do as the Deputy says and don't make this night any longer for us than it has to be." Rosco had had a jail full of people the night before and hoped to get some sleep tonight.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

It was nearly time for Daisy to get home by the time the boys had their last round, said their good nights to their dates and finally pulled into the Duke farm yard. Rather than their normal parking places they parked closer to the barn. They hoped not to disturb Jesse.

Jesse had already made his way to his bed earlier but he heard the familiar sound of Luke's car. Then the rumble of Cooter's wrecker. He knew Luke certainly wasn't driving it tonight with being hurt and his license still revoked. Then he heard another car. It was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it. It had never been unusual for the kids to bring home stray dogs, cats, and even kids. He could tell they parked near the barn and figured they would sleep out there since it was a very hot night.

Daisy had closed the Boar's Nest then driven home. She saw the cars parked near the barn and lights on in the barn as she pulled into her regular place. There was no way she wasn't going to go check on them even if she couldn't stay with them in the barn. Had it just been her cousins it would have been one thing but she saw Cooter's wrecker and Mark McCormick's Firebird. Daisy opened the barn door to find the guys just digging out sleeping bags. Luke had just took the lid off a quart of moonshine. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Luke took a drink then added, "Better now."

Daisy frowned but reached for the jar for a drink. It had been a long day for all the Dukes. She took a reserved sip, then a larger one. Turning to Jeb, she asked, "Sugar, how are you doing?"

"I'll be alright. Just dread tomorrow." Jeb said.

"What did Uncle Jesse say?" Daisy asked.

Luke shook his head 'no', "Nothing. It's been a long night last night followed by a longer day today. Let him sleep. If anything could have been done tonight I'd have called him when it went down, but it can't. I'll be up early and let him know first thing. Mark and Cooter are gonna handle the chores in the morning for us."

Daisy nodded. Luke made a lot of sense. She worried about their Uncle Jesse when he stayed out all night on a shine run at his age, but last night was worse. All the boys had been picked up and questioned. Luke had gotten hurt and had to see Doc, then Jesse had to be up town early to be with Luke when he saw the Judge again. She knew too that he'd also have to spend tomorrow in the same courtroom. "Alright. I better be getting inside." She took another drink of shine before handing it back to Luke. Daisy left the barn and quietly entered the old farm house. She tried to avoid every loose floor board as she made her way to the bathroom, then her bedroom. Just as she stepped toward her door from the bathroom the loose board let out a tell tell squeak.

Jesse had been awake but must have snoozed between the boys cars and Daisy pulling in. The low squeak of the loose floor board woke him as if loud alarms went off. He questioned, "Daisy?" since her car was the last he'd heard come in the drive.

"Yes, Sir. It's me. Bo, Luke, and Jeb are all staying in the barn tonight with Cooter and Mark." Daisy said quietly.

Jesse frowned. It wasn't unusual for the boys to bring home friends for the night, but he usually had a bit more warning. Something didn't sound right in Daisy's answer, "All three boys are in the barn?"

"Yes, Sir. Checked in on them myself." Daisy replied in truth, yet she was leaving a bunch of information out that she knew her uncle would have liked to have had then, as opposed to hearing it in the morning. She trusted her older cousin to know the best way to handle this as she went into her room and closed the door. Daisy still couldn't believe that her Uncle John had been in such a fight.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

In Placid County Pauline Duke was fuming. First she had been worried, now she was just mad. Everyone in this part of the State knew John David and she was sure if something like an accident had happened she'd been notified quickly. Tonight was beginning to feel like some of those nights all those years ago when she had been left alone all night with Karen, a toddler and Jeb, a newborn. Here she was home alone with the newborn twins, supper had been stone cold for hours and still John David was not home. She began to think back to those nights as she rocked the girls.

How many times she'd set and worried about that man of hers? Pauline was sure that she couldn't count them on both her hands, maybe even her feet too, before he'd finally grown up and started acting more responsible. In fact, she had nearly been ready to leave him and go home to her mother when she found out that Jeb was on the way. There was no way after finding out about Jeb being on the way that she could have went home. True enough her mother didn't approve of John David and her father liked him even less in those days. He had even forbid her to date that moonshine trash the very night that she had brought him home to announce their engagement. Her father had ordered John David to leave the house. That's when John David got his dander up. John told her father that she was over eighteen, he had come there to announce their engagement and that he would marry her. He also included that her father couldn't stop him.

That was just about the time her father turned purple! He told John David, "This is my home, that is my daughter and I'll not let her out of my sight until she is seventy-five!"

That was when it hit the fan. John David stepped toward her dad and Pauline was almost sure he was going to hit her father. She almost wished he had instead of doing what he did do. John David looked her father in the eye and said very calmly, "It's too late for all that. You're not gonna stop me from marrying my childs mother."

Pauline thought she was going to have a coronary, then she saw her mothers knees buckle as she fainted dead away onto the couch. Before she could say anything her father had stepped closer to John David to clarify what he thought he heard, "You mean to tell me that you have gotten MY daughter to sink to your level?" Pauline thought for sure the rafters of their fine home rattled with her fathers words. She had went to her mother's side but John David stood his ground and gave her father a very satisfied grin as he said, "She's only a few weeks along and IF you don't want that fancy name of yours tarnished," John David nodded toward Pauline and her mother, "Then these nice ladies had better get to planning a wedding real quick like." Pauline didn't know what or where John David had gotten all that from. Sure she had went against her Daddy to date him, yes she had agreed to marry him, but she had never did more than kiss him! He hadn't so much as got her bra unhooked and here he was telling her father she was pregnant!

Emily whined out in her sleep. Pauline shushed her. From that night her life with John David was a whirlwind. She expected it to be up to the wedding, but she had figured her life would then slow down. She was wrong. They had stayed in Hazzard awhile with John David's folks. They got up far earlier than she had ever gotten up. Trying to be the good wife, she had pitched in with the house work while John helped in the fields. After a full day of housework Pauline was more than ready to go to sleep. John David was even more ready for bed, but sleep hadn't been his plan. She still longed to prove to her family that she had been a 'good girl' up until she was married. The only way she felt she could do that was to prove she had not been pregnant when they got married. Now that they were married her father couldn't do anything about her NOT being pregnant. So from their first time on their wedding night and every time since Pauline insisted John use protection. John went along with her request but often told her that even with the use of condoms, it was not a sure thing that she wouldn't get pregnant. How right he was! She found herself pregnant not even six weeks after they had married. She counted back and figured she had gotten pregnant her first fertile time with John David. She knew he'd worn protection and she made sure he was careful. To this day she still couldn't figure out how she ended up pregnant with Karen so quickly. Jeb, well he was a different story. She knew how he happened. One, just ONE time without protection before she could get on birth control refilled and she was well on her way to being a mother again! Pauline had been busy taking care of a Karen who had been sick. John David had also had a bad case of pneumonia, so Pauline hadn't taken the time away from her sick family to run to town to get her prescription refilled. She really would have hated to think how many children she would have had if she wasn't on birth control! He- she had gotten pregnant with the twins on birth control for Christ's sake! Just thinking about how fertile John David was scared the he- out of her as her thoughts drifted back to their very unprotected night only a few weeks ago. Pauline felt her face flush at the memories. She wanted to scream but it would wake the twins up. She was now almost certain she was pregnant again. Pauline knew she should have went to see Doc now for birth control, but she knew he'd run a pregnancy test first. She bit her lip hard. She really didn't think she could hear the cheery, "Congratulations!" again. Not now, not at her age, not with twin newborns. Pauline had seen Karen and Jeb's embarrassment when she went to school functions with them wearing maternity clothes and obviously pregnant. They had both been mortified to find out that their parents still did 'IT'. Both had a very hard time accepting they had a younger sibling on the way. When it turned out that she was carrying twins they nearly died of embarrassment.

Pauline couldn't help but to think back to the last time John David stayed out this late. It turned out that he had been in jail. Of course she only found that out as she was fixing breakfast and Jesse had called her. She had spent the next several hours as she had many times before. She had made excuses for John David. He was sick. He had errands. His truck needed repair. What ever she could do to stall until Jesse could get to the courthouse, get John David out of jail so that he could get home. John David always made a point to check in with her no matter how mad she was just so that he knew what story to tell about why he had been late. 

Pauline looked at the clock. It was 2 am. John David wasn't home. Jeb was staying the summer with Jesse. Karen was thankfully staying at friends. The twins were far to young to know that their Daddy wasn't home yet. First she prayed that John David was safe. Then she prayed that if he was in jail that he made it home safe so that she could kill him.


	42. Facing Demons

Vector 426 - Thanks for the continued reviews. As Long Live BRUCAS said John and Campbell have a similar relationship as Luke and Ralph or Ernie Ledbetter! Yeah just when Jesse thought he didn't have to worry about his younger brother he regressed by to a teen! Thanks again for sticking around.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 42

John had painfully answered all Rosco's questions, finally. He was still handcuffed with his hands behind his back. It was not the most comfortable way to spend the better part of an hour.

Rosco asked the young Deputy, "Are you about through back there?"

Deputy Petticord advised, "Just as soon as Mr. Campbell here gets his jumpsuit on."

Mr. Campbell glared at the Deputy. "Surely, you are NOT serious. I'm NOT going to put that on. I'd look like, ... like a common criminal!"

Rosco said from the desk calmly, "You can dress out or I can get out another sheet of paper to explain to the Judge why you didn't."

Steve Campbell hushed right then. He knew that the Sheriff was implying he'd add additional charges to him. It had been nearly twenty years since he'd been booked into a jail. He wasn't happy about it. He also knew his wife and her father who'd gotten him the easy job at the bank would also not be happy. "Alright, alright." He said still feeling the effects of the alcohol he'd drank before he seen John Duke.

NARRATOR: "Once Mr. Campbell was dressed from his neck to his toes in bright orange it was time for him and John to trade places."

John headed over to the Deputy half way expecting what he was to be put through as he'd heard parts of the Deputy and Campbell's conversation. That said, he knew he'd not like it any more than Campbell had.

"Alright, Mr. Duke, I'm going to uncuff you. I need you boots, belt, knife, wallet and anything else you have in your pockets." Deputy Petticord said.

John nodded, "Alright." He was thankful when he felt the first handcuff release his left wrist, then his right. He began taking off the items the Deputy requested.

Rosco had Mr. Campbell with him, "Name?"

"Ah for Pete's sake you know my name!" Mr. Campbell replied.

"I need it official like for the record." Rosco said.

Mr. Campbell replied, "Steven Campbell."

Rosco asked, "Middle name?"

"Daniel. Alright?" Mr. Campbell said in a huff.

It may have been awhile since John had been in this position. He knew knew he hadn't missed a thing. Finally he was changed into the bright orange jumpsuit. He had never had that done before but he figured things had changed.

Deputy Petticord said, "This way, Mr. Duke."

John followed as Campbell still was giving Rosco grief about the questions. John stepped in the cell like he had done many times before and was surrprised when cold chills ran down and back up his entire back when the cell door locked behind him with a clang. He knew the sound. Expected it. What he didn't expect was to feel himself cringe inside as the cell door closed and the locking mechanism locked tight.

John rubbed his face with his hands, feeling a bit of shadow since he hadn't shaved since morning. He still felt the effects of the moonshine and beer he'd drank this evening, though he was sure it was far from being enough to let him sleep. John was like any other red blooded Duke, he just did not function well in a cage.

He took a seat on the thin mattress covering the hard steel bunk. John knew that he was sure to hear it from Jesse about not going on home like they had talked about. Yeah, he knew even when he stopped at the Boar's Nest that he should have kept driving right on Hatchapie, the drug store and home. Now he knew why he should have kept going.

John hadn't kept going only because he dreaded Pauline's reaction to him being late and to the test he planned to take her. He was sure that when he did make it home very much later today, since it was now well after midnight, that her reaction would be much worse than if he'd just went home last evening. John knew the argument that would happen just as soon as he and Pauline were alone. It would be that same one that had happened for several years but had not happened in a lot of years.

Rosco escorted Campbell to the other cell and locked the door with a warning, "My advice is for you two to sleep it off, make your phone calls after breakfast. Judge should be here by noon. If you have someone here to go your bail, you'll both be on your way by about one."

John groaned inside. By the time Jesse got here to get him, he made his planned stop in Hatchapie, and got home. He just MAY be on time for tonight's supper. It was weekend and the Judge came in later than normal. Had he gotten locked up on a Sunday night instead of Saturday night he'd could maybe have been home for lunch.

Steve Campbell looked at the Sheriff like he'd lost him mind, "Bail? You aren't serious! You're going to make ME pay to get out of here?"

Rosco replied calmly though the man inside the cell was raising his voice, "No, I'm not gonna make you pay, but I figure Judge Hardcastle will set a bond. But, your money isn't any good here. Someone else will have to post bail for you."

"WHAT?" Campbell exclaimed. For the first time in his life he actually had enough money in his wallet to post his bail five times over and the Sheriff was telling him that he'd still have to have someone come get him.

"Just the way it works." Rosco said as he headed to his desk across the room.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

While Luke finished talking to Daisy, the guys had finished organizing the loft where they would be 'camping out'. They had taken the sleeping bags up and rearranged the bales of hay to make it rather homie even if there was only going to be a bunch of guys there. When they had come back down just before Daisy went to the house, they saw Luke had already broke out the shine. In fact he already had a quart open.

Jeb noticed the ease that Daisy took the shine from Luke's hand and made her self at home with the powerful drink. He couldn't help think about the fit he knew that his mother would throw had she seen that. She would NOT think it proper for a young lady to drink such a harsh drink. He grimaced as he now thought about the fit he knew his father was in for when he got home. Remembering back to the visit with Jesse, Bo and his mother when they first went to see Luke in jail earlier in the summer. He remembered some of the stories everyone seemed to know except him. Even his mother seemed to know more than she'd ever admitted to him before about is father's younger years.

Luke nodded to a case of empty Mason jars, "Here is some jars. I got a gallon out. That's should do tonight."

Cooter couldn't help but notice that as his friend said this, he was actually taking a drink from his own quart jar. He could pretty much figure what his buddy and Ruby had been up to at the lake. Cooter had also experienced bruised and broken ribs before and if they did what he thought they did, Luke just may need that quart to himself tonight. Luke certainly couldn't have helped them ribs any tonight. Cooter was pretty sure that the pain from the fight just over 24 hours ago HADN'T even settled in yet. He seen Luke was struggling to pour the first Mason jar of shine. "Here, let me do that for you."

Luke nodded. He always hated to give in to being sick or hurt but he'd already pushed way to far tonight. He took the first jar he'd pour about a quarter full and handed it to Jeb. "Be easy with this, ... you got, ... all night." Luke cautioned.

Cooter frowned, "Luke are you alright?"

"I will be, ... soon." He held up the quarter jar still three quarters full. "Let's head up."

Cooter frowned, "Luke are you sure you can make it up the ladder?"

Luke nodded as he took another drink of shine, "I'll make it."

Cooter wasn't at all sure Luke should be doing half of what he was doing tonight and was sure he'd pay for it tomorrow, but who was he to argue, "Alright. I'll take care of this for you." He took Luke's quart of shine, put the lid on it, then handed the gallon and the quart to Mark. "Take this up will you?"

Bo and Jeb were already in the loft as Mark went up with the shine.

Cooter was waiting. "If you're going to be stubborn enough to do this, then I'm behind you. You surely don't need to fall when you are already hurt."

Luke mumbled, "Thanks, Mother."

Cooter shook his head. He'd seen Missouri mules less stubborn and easier tamed than his buddy would ever be. Cooter patiently followed his friend up the ladder to the loft.

Luke looked around as he topped the ladder trying to figure out just how he could possibly get anywhere near comfortable.

Bo said, "Over here, Luke. We fixed you a spot where you ain't on the floor and can still recline some."

Luke was thankful as he see the bales of hay stack as best as they could be to form a lounge chair of sorts. Bales of hay were stacked two high for the seat and leg section with a back support three high behind them. "Thanks guys."

Soon everyone had a drink, found a place to hang out and Luke had even gotten reasonably comfortable.

Jeb went over the leaned up against the hay Luke was setting on, "Luke when you were in jail, ..." Jeb paused.

Luke held his breath. He dreaded the conversation he was sure to follow. He actually figured to have already had it with Bo, not Jeb and not in front of friends.

"Mom was talking about fast cars and said Dad had one that he called 'Traveler'. You asked if it was the one that came from a lodge or something. I've never heard about that." Jeb finished.

Feeling like he'd dodged a bullet, Luke took a long drink of shine. He had found a pretty good position and hoped to be able to at least talk in full sentences. Luke began, "I was pretty young so you may want Jesse's or your Dad's version." Taking another drink of shine Luke said, "I remember that they had been talking about needing another car. I know now they were looking for a second runner to run with Tilley. As I heard it told the Masons Lodge was having an auction. Jesse and Uncle John were going one night. Next thing I knew is I was woke up by a powerful engine that rattled the windows in the house the next morning. Well, of course I had to go see what it was. I can still remember how the engine rumbled and that it still had Johnson County Sheriff painted down it's side. Jesse and Uncle John shot a coat of primer and after they gave it a once over, they began tearing the engine down and rebuilding it."

"Mom said it was a 58 Chrysler." Jeb said.

Luke nodded, "Yeah, I've heard Jesse talk more about it and wonder just what he ever did with it."

Jeb smiled as he took a drink of shine, "He's still got it."

"What?" Bo said from behind.

Luke replied, "Are you sure?"

Jeb now had more information that the boys had. "The other night when I went with Uncle Jesse, Dad had it out. I'd seen it in the barn but never even heard him start it. Uncle Jesse had a revenuer behind us and I looked up and saw Dad and Traveler up front. He helped give them the shake."

"From the way she talked your Momma sure don't like that car. I bet he had heck to pay for having it out." Bo said.

Jeb sighed as he took another large drink, "From the sounds of her lecture to Luke, he'll surely be in a bunch of hot water when he gets home."

"You can say that again." Bo added taking a large drink of his own shine.

Luke warned, "Bo." As he drank from his jar of Jesse's finest. Luke knew no one was going anywhere tonight and had decided to let Cooter be 'keeper' of the jug. He figured they were all old enough to be able to judge when they had had enough. Besides a gallon split four ways should be about what he had in the quart jar. They should all be fine.

Taking a drink Jeb asked as he looked around the room, "I know Luke was in jail when I got here this summer. Have either of you been in jail before?"

Luke frowned. He wasn't expecting that. "Jeb."

Cooter shook his head, "No. Luke. He's fine." Cooter took a drink of his own shine and replied, "Well, other than the normal day to day stuff here, jay walking, over time parking, a busted tail light that just gets you picked up until your bail or the ticket is paid. No, I hadn't been until I went out of here to Oklahoma. I met up with an old boy, by the name of Jonas Jones. We worked in the oilfields rough neckin'. Well every Friday was payday, so every Friday night found us at one of the local bars. Now you know the Boar's Nest and how it can get a little wild on paydays." Cooter paused and took a larger than normal drink of shine. One day we were working as usual. It was a Friday, payday. Everyone was looking forward to getting off work, getting their checks and heading to the bars. That's when a couple old boys got careless. I don't know what they did or didn't do. The next thing I knew I was in the middle of a ball of fire." Cooter took another drink. "Fellas, now I ain't afraid to tell you I ain't never seen nothing like it before in my life. I had no idea what had happened so I didn't know what to do or which way was out of it. The next thing I know is I felt myself being dragged out backwards. Jonas had gotten to me and was dragging me out. There isn't a doubt in my mind that I owe the man my life." Cooter took another drink.

Luke knew some of this but had never heard the entire story like he was hearing now.

Bo questioned quickly, "But that doesn't have anything to do with Jeb asking you about being in jail."

"Yes, it does. It has everything to do with it." Cooter poured himself another drink, "Afterwards we were checked out by medical then got our checks. I was certain I'd never go back there on Monday. Later at the bar, while I was well on my way to trying to forget just how close I came to being a crispy critter and meeting my maker, Jonas saw a couple guys we worked with and comforted them about the fire. I was in no shape to remember exactly what was said. As we were leaving, we were jumped by the two men in the parking lot. A fight broke out." Cooter took a drink trying to word the rest of the night to where the boys would understand. "One of the guys had a tire tool and swung at me. I was in no shape to fight, let alone fight a man with a weapon. Jonas was quick. He stepped in and took the tire tool, but not before taking a hit across the forehead. That's when Jonas flew mad. The next thing I knew the cops showed up, blue lights were flashing. Everyone was standing around us. The cops moved in to cuff us but only three of us was standing and Jonas was still holding the tire tool."

"And the forth?" Mark asked.

Cooter shook his head 'no', "He never got up." Seeing the innocence in his friends faces, he added, "He was still alive, then, but, ..." He nodded again, 'no', "He didn't make it. The three of us were all all hauled in until they knew his condition and could investigate. After hearing what had happened from the other guys friend we both charged with Malicious Wounding. Fellas that's how fast a barroom fight can change a man's life." He took a really long drink.

"What happened next?" Jeb asked quietly.

"My story and Jonas's matched up pretty good even though I'd been past drunk. After talking to witnesses and all I was cleared on everything but fighting. I did my thirty days and heading back home as fast as I could get here." Cooter said as he took a long drink trying to get the taste of the bad memories out of his mind. He hoped they wouldn't ask more about Jonas.

Bo had to ask, "And you're friend Jonas?"

Cooter knew it would have to be Bo to ask. He just knew it. "He got some breaks, but he's doing a one to ten. I hear from him occasionally. I owe him a lot. With out him I wouldn't have made it out of that fire and without him telling the truth I could have been setting right beside him today. Sometimes I feel guilty that I'm not because if it wasn't for me he'd never ended up in that fight."

Jeb knew that Bo would be seventeen in a few days so he had never been in jail. he looked at Luke's friend Mark, "What about you?"

"No. I guess I've been lucky." Mark replied.

Jeb handed Cooter his jar for a refill. He almost expected Luke to put a halt to it, but he didn't. Jeb turned to look at Luke and Cooter as he took the jar back. "What's it like?"

There it was. There was the question Luke had been dreading since the first time he'd spent the night in jail, but he had expected it from Bo, not Jeb. Luke seen that Cooter seemed to still be dealing with his memories from the past so Luke took as deep a breath as he could and began, "You ever been sent to your room for something?"

Jeb replied, "Yeah, we all have."

Luke nodded, "Other than words there is nothing to stop you from leaving the room right?"

Bo jumped in, "That and the knowledge that we'll be there longer if we live after going out when we were told not to."

Nodding 'yes', Luke said, "Yes. Sort of the same thing here. You do as your told so you don't have to stay longer. There isn't much you have control over."

"What do you mean?" Jeb asked.

"You eat, shower, use the phone all on someone else's schedule. You can sleep when you want, that is if you can sleep with the lights on. You can read when you want as long as it's before eleven at night and after six in the morning." Luke said.

"Why can't you read later?" Bo asked. He'd never thought about it much but he knew if Luke took a notion to read he could read an entire magazine at night.

Luke replied, "Because you don't have control of the lights. They go off at eleven and back on at six. In between there is enough light to bother you but not enough to read by." Luke let the conversation go on a bit more before trying to change the subject, "So are you going to use your share of the summers money to get you a car?"

Jeb took a large drink of shine. This stuff was pretty good. "No, I like cars and all but not like you all do. I want a dirt bike. I got a few friends who have one and I like them. I'm even pretty good if I do say so myself."

"A dirt bike? What does Aunt Pauline say about that?" Luke smiled as he asked taking another drink from his near empty jar.

"She doesn't know about it." Jeb replied with a slight grin.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please review. All reviews, suggestions and constructive criticisms welcome. Thanks!


	43. Like Father like Daughter!

Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. I try to reply to all reviews. Some I have to do in the story because the user doesn't have a PM set up. - Vector426, I got Cooter's back ground in part from Season 6 "Cooter's Confession" and added a bit to it. Glad you like it and so faithfully review!

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 43 ( Sunday early AM)

Karen and Danny had really enjoyed their evening together, though they had went out with a group of friends that they had graduated with. They had all met at the movies. Then split up inside hoping to get to know their dates a little better. Karen had went out of several dates but she now knew how Danny had got all those yards rushing in football. He sure had roaming hand and rushing fingers. She wasn't exactly telling him 'no' but she wasn't ready to move so fast so soon. As the movie ended everyone joined back up outside. After leaving the coolness of the air conditioned theater the muggy night air almost stopped them from breathing.

Roy said, "Let's all take my pickup out to the lake for a swim?"

Cheers at the suggestion arose.

Danny looked at Karen, "How about it?"

"I didn't bring anything to swim in." Karen said.

"Neither did anyone else. Besides underwear covers more than most swimsuits." Danny reasoned.

Karen thought about it, then shrugged, "Sure why not."

NARRATOR: "This may not be Hazzard County but there is a Duke involved. I could think of a several hundred 'why nots'."

Out at the lake the group soon split up in pairs again but not before the large cooler in the back of truck was opened. Inside were iced down bottles of beer that had been chilling the entire time they were at the movies.

Danny reached in, grabbed four beers and handed one to Karen.

Karen looked around. No one that she saw didn't have a beer in their hand. She knew drinking wasn't acceptable according to her mother and here in Placid the drinking age was 21. Karen bite her bottom lip trying to decide to object or fit in with the crowd. She smiled and took the opened beer. Karen figured she didn't have to drink it all. Maybe just keep sippin' on it and carrying it around so no one else would hand her another one. It was a good plan in theory!

Danny took a long drink from his bottle, "Wheee, watch it is cold. You'll get brain freeze if you drink it too fast."

That worked right in to Karen's plan.

A few minutes later, Danny noticed she'd not so much as taken the first drink yet. "I didn't mean that slow. Drink up."

Karen took a timid sip. The taste wasn't at all pleasant though she tried not to let it show on her face just how much she didn't like the taste of the beer. Instead she said, "Yeah, that is cold!"

01~~~~~~~~~~01

After getting John Duke and Steve Campbell settled Rosco had walked Deputy Petticord upstairs so that he could lock the front door and check on their other prisoner, Ralph Green who was currently upstairs in the holding cell waiting on Tri-Counties to come get him. Green appeared asleep as Rosco lowered the lights upstairs the returned down stairs, locked the gate and dimmed those lights.

John Duke was on the bunk with his back turned to Campbell, who was on his bunk with his back toward John's.

Rosco was satisfied so he went to his desk and pulled out yesterdays newspaper.

John may have appeared asleep but he wasn't. He was still trying to figure out just how he was going to explain all this to Pauline. But, he knew before he ever started home he had to explain it to one more person, his son. John never wanted Jeb to end up here. He knew that Jeb now knew of his arrest. John had to try to explain how what he did was right for him to do, but that Jeb shouldn't do the same things. He wasn't sure how Jesse handled three teens alone all the time plus Jeb in the summers. Jesse always seemed to know just what to say to all the kids.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

In the loft of the barn, three of the four of those same four teens and two friends along with a gallon plus of shine were still bonding. Luke was in no shape to keep up with who had been drinking how much. All he knew was his jar was about empty and as long as he stayed really still he felt pretty good. He took another drink and enjoyed the feeling as it went down. He looked up when he heard someone moving. It was Bo. "Where are you going?"

Bo rolled his eyes and slurred his words as he responded, "Outside a minute."

"Ok, say on your way back, you wouldn't grab another one of these would you, from the closet?" Luke asked.

Cooter showed Bo their gallon just nearly dry.

Bo replied, "Alright. Only if I can get us one too."

Luke didn't see what another quart could hurt between the four of them so he waved Bo the go ahead.

Bo Duke being Bo Duke and being past tipsy decided to get Luke another quart and them another gallon of shine.

Cooter's eyes grew wide when he seen the second gallon of shine.

Jeb quickly handed his jar over to Cooter for a refill. Again he was surprised that Luke didn't object.

Bo hushed him, handed the gallon to Cooter which Cooter promptly covered up. Then Bo said, "Here Luke. I got your refill."

"Thanks Bo." Luke said never looking up as the conversation turned to girls and cars.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

By now everyone at the lake was getting to know each other pretty well. The beer was flowing the moon was shining.

Karen was finishing her third beer. After the first few drinks, they had started to taste pretty good.

"Let's go cool off. I've got us a couple more of those put back for later." Danny gently kissed Karen's lips.

Karen had been kissed before, but she felt different tonight. Tonight she felt like there was butterflies in her stomach, her head was spinning and her body was on fire. She felt Danny pulling her toward the lakes edge.

Both timidly began to strip off down to their underwear behind separate bushes, then quickly headed for the cool water. Karen was in a hurry to get out of the sight of anyone looking her way, but Danny was in a hurry to see just how far he could get.

Danny liked the way this night was turning out. He was glad too that Karen's brother was away for the summer. After they had gotten totally wet, Danny coaxed Karen out to where the water was about chest high. The water may have been cool but it had no effect on cooling the two down. He let his hands begin to gently explore. He was sure he had a good thing here and he wasn't about to scare her off by going too quickly as he gently kissed her.

Karen followed Danny's lead as her hands began to explore also. He felt warm in the cool water as her hands went from his shoulders to his chest, then his back. She then got a bit brave as she lowered her hands to his tight behind. She felt him tense and pull her tighter. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they followed his hips to the front.

Danny reached out and took her hand and placed it on his manhood.

Karen had never so much as seen a man before. Sure she'd changed her baby cousins diapers and yeah she grew up on a farm, but she had not expected to feel what her hands were feeling now. The more she explored the more she liked what she felt.

Danny was very surprised when Karen put her hands on his manhood. She had began to explore every inch of him and he was very much enjoying it. In fact he already had her bra lifted as his hand explored her.

Karen was feeling very intense feelings that she had never felt before as she explored Danny. Only now did she feel his warm hands on her breasts.

Danny leaned in and kissed her passionately, "Let's go back to the blanket."

Karen felt as if she was puddy in his hands as she pulled her bra back in place and followed him.

Once they were just off the path to the lake where Danny had put a blanket and several beers, he opened two beers and handed one to Karen. Oh he was so enjoying her touch in the water but he had to slow down a bit.

Karen eagerly took her forth beer of the night. She saw Danny's eagerness to finish his beer so she tried to keep pace with him.

Danny had more on his mind than the empty bottles once they had finished their beers. He set them beside the tree where two more sat. He opened another beer and handed it to Karen, "Here this will make you enjoy this."

Karen had no idea what Danny was talking about as she took her fifth beer of the night. She took a drink then Danny kissed her passionately. All she could think of was the butterflies in her stomach as her head spun. She no longer worried about what her mother would say, who was around or who saw her as Danny's hands began to explore her. Only as she finished the beer did she realize he'd taken off his underwear and her free hand was more than happy to continue its' exploration of his fine althetic body. She felt Danny encourage her to raise up which she did and only now realized he'd helped her right out of her panties and her bra long gone by now.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Trooper Mitchell and his newest trainee were partoling the Placid County area. They were hoping to flush out a moonrunner or two but so far they hadn't even got a hound dog to bark at them.

The trainee suggested, "How about heading up by the lake. We may have someone using that road to stay off the main roads."

"I don't think any moonshiner in their right mind would be on the lake road on a Saturday night. Too much young love up there this time of year." Trooper Mitchell said.

"Well, it will finish out the shift anyway." The trainee said as the turned the cruiser up the road to the lake.

Trooper Mitchell wasn't surprised to find a vehicle at the wide spot of the local swimming hole.

The trainee insisted, "That pick up is primer black and looks like it could be a runner."

Mitchell sighed. He knew nothing he could say were deter the eager young Trooper from checking this out. "Do what you have to do, but all were gonna find is a couple of love birds."

They were far enough away that when the young trooper cut the engine and drifted in with his lights out everyone at the lake thought it was more of their friends just arriving.

Before Karen could object Danny kissed her then moved his kisses to her breast as his hands began to rush for a 'first down'. She was overwhelmed by his touch.

The young trooper had gotten close enough that when he turned the headlights back on he saw two couples near the path less than dressed.

The next thing Karen knew the entire world was lite up. Danny and other boys suddenly stood up cursing their friends for turning on the lights and messing things up. They were blinded by the headlights of the cruiser and had no idea that it was not a friend with bad timing, but the law.

Trooper Mitchell seen the cooler on the back of the truck, it had been left open and the beer bottles in it were obvious. He smiled as he nudged the younger man. Mitchell now hoped that at least maybe this wasn't just a bunch of underage kids skinny dipping. If they were gonna make this sort of stop he hoped to at least get a couple arrests so the night wouldn't be a complete waste of time and effort. Mitchell reached in and took the keys from the vehicle. He and the younger Trooper spread out to find all the kids. Once they were in position, Mitchell advised, "State Police stay right where you are and don't move!"

Luckily for Karen when Danny had jumped up she had grabbed the blanket around herself.

Danny and a couple other guys were yelling back, "Come on quit scaring the girls you fools!" Only when Trooper Mitchell stepped out of the shadows and tapped him on the bare shoulder did Danny realize that this was not a joke by their 'friends'.

Danny's hands went to his privates to try to cover himself.

Mitchell whispered as he cocked the hammer back on his pistol, "How many of you are here?"

Danny stuttered, "Umm, ... eight."

"Good. You just tell them to get their clothes and get back to the truck." Mitchell advised.

"Yes, yes, Sir." Danny forced out. "Hey, everybody. This ain't a joke. Get your things and get back up to the truck."

Mitchell could see the young girl covered in a blanket not far away from the young man and beside where they were was another full beer and three empties. Mitchell said, "Get your pants on and come on."

Danny struggled to put his jeans on while standing up, grabbed the rest of his clothes and went to Karen to help get her things. Then he said, "Come on we got to get back to the truck."

After the Troopers were satisfied that they had all eight young people back at the truck, Trooper Mitchell said, "Let's see some ID's."

The group exchanged looks with one another. They all knew they were going to be in a lot more trouble in the next couple of minutes than they were five minutes ago. Most of the group began digging around around for their ID's but there had to be the one in the bunch that had drank just enough to have had one too many.

Larry tried to make himself the self appointed spokesman for the group. He could just make out the Trooper's last name on his name tag in the light coming from the headlights of the cruiser, "It's alright everybody. I'll handle this." He tried to assure the group confidently.

What he actually was assuring them of, was that they were gonna be in real deep if someone didn't shut him up.

"Off-ficer Miller ya see we just came out here to the lake for a swim," then he lowered his voice, "and maybe a little, you know 'fun'." The longer Larry talked the more he slurred and he was trying hard not to sway.

Trooper Mitchell, NOT Off-ficer Miller replied, "Ya'll just stay right here." He went to the trunk of his car and got a small black box and a handful of mouth pieces.

Larry swayed as he said, "See I got this und-fer control."

Trooper Mitchell said as he approached "Alright let's just see your IDs to know if you are legal to have this sort of fun."

Danny said from behind Larry, "Look just get your ID out and shut up."

Larry turned thinking of saying something to his friend, but thought better of it right now. He took a deep breath, fumbled for his wallet and handed the Trooper his ID, as he tried to hold his world still.

Trooper Mitchell held the black box with the mouth piece on it, "Take a deep breath and blow until I tell you to stop."

Larry tried to process this, he took the deep breath in, blew until he thought all the airways gone from his lungs.

Trooper Mitchell saw that the young man had blew nearly twice the legal limit to drive a car. The young man was only eighteen and under the legal age to drink. When he saw the reading he instructed, "Stop."

_'Finally.'_ Larry thought. As he stopped blowing he gagged as he tried to inhale. Before he had a chance to try to do anything he puked right on the trainee's boots.

Trooper Mitchell tried his best to hide his grin as he seen what had happened. To the trainee he said, "Cuff him set him on the tailgate when he's done."

Mitchell stepped up to the second young man, "ID."

Roy handed his ID showing he was all of eighteen to the Trooper. He knew he'd drank some but he wasn't like Larry. He was instructed to blow into the portable intoxilizer.

After Mitchell got his reading, had the boy been older he would have been just over the legal driving limit. Mitchell said, "Stop." Then to the trainee, "Here's your second customer."

Frank was next to blow. His reading fell right in the middle of his former classmates.

Mitchell looked at the three ID's in his hand, "You boys just graduate together?"

Danny was already handing his ID over as he replied hoping they would get some sort of break, "Yes, Sir. We've all been in school together since we were in first grade."

After getting Danny's reading, Trooper Mitchell said, "Well, son you seem to be the winner or the looser, depending on how you look at it. Had you been a bit older, I'd have had to cut you loose, but since you are eightteen and in this County if you show any reading at all you are still over the limit. Anderson." He said to the trainee.

Danny couldn't help but feel the bit of panic that he felt as he was also cuffed and seated on the tailgate with his buddies.

Mitchell knew they could only transport 3 people in their cruiser and they currently had four of the eight under arrest. "Anderson call for Tri-Counties to bring us a van out. Something tells me we're gonna have a full house tonight."

Karen was suddenly feeling a real different type of butterflies in her just thinking of having to call her parents to come get her tonight. She knew of a couple guys a year or so ago that got caught drinking at a ballgame. They were taken to the Sheriff's Office and their parents called to come get them. The night had went so well up until a few minutes ago.

Larry's date for the evening, Charlene was the first of the girls to show her ID and blow for the Trooper.

Mitchell shook his head, "You almost lucked out but I got a reading. Just move over there to the hood of my car until the van gets here.

With her face hot and beet red from embarrassment, Charlene did her best to hold back her tears as she leaned against the cruiser.

Roy's date, Peggy couldn't hold in the hiccup as the officer checked her ID.

Mitchell found that she, like her friends were eighteen but not legal to drink, "Alight blow."

Thinking she could save herself if she didn't blow hard she barely let a breath out when told to do so.

Trooper Mitchell cleared the machine and changed the mouth piece, "Blow and blow hard until I tell you to stop or I'll just arrest you for obstructing."

Peggy hiccuped again, then grimaced at the Troopers warning. This time she did as she was told or at least tried to. She blew until she couldn't hold the hiccup in any longer.

Mitchell was satisfied with the reading. She was well over the limit. "Just stand over there by my car with your friend.

That did it. Peggy who's shirt was buttoned crooked could no longer hold back the hiccups or the tears.

Jackie was Frank's long time girlfriend. This may be the first time the law caught them out and drinking but it wasn't by far the first time they had done so. She handed over her ID nonchalantly then followed the instructions to blow into the PBT. Jackie knew she was a little tipsy but there was nothing she could do about it now. Even before Mitchell could tell her, Jackie said, "Yeah, I know. I'll just go have a seat with the others."

Karen couldn't stop her hand from shaking as she handed over her ID. She did as instructed right up until the part where Trooper Mitchell told her to stop blowing. She felt so light headed and dizzy that she stumbled.

Trooper Mitchell caught Karen to keep her from falling. He looked at the reading. It was the highest of the girls and nearly the highest of the bunch. Mitchell couldn't help but think something was up. He would have to check his notes and make sure when he got to the jail but unless he was wrong her date blew the least of the guys, yet she blew nearly the most in the crowd.

Karen wasn't about to cry like her friends were. If they were old enough to get into this then crying wouldn't help matters now. She heard the sound of an engine just as more lights blinded them.

Trooper Mitchell saw the van pulling in and announced, "Just like school. Ya'll all get to go on a field trip one more time together." Then he went to the Tri County's transport van to get additional handcuffs for the females as the males were put in the far two back seats. Since Karen and Jackie were closer to the van they were put in the front seat of the van near the mesh screen that divided the front from the back. The other two girls would be transported in the cruiser.

The ride from the lake was a sobering one for the group of friends. Only after they were nearing the lights from the town of Placid did Karen see the steel mesh screens on the windows and notice that the inside door handles and locks had been removed on the inside of the van. She cringed a bit when she realized that even if they had an accident and she had to get out of the back of this van that she could not do so without help from the outside.

Once in Placid the group was taken out of the vehicles at the Placid County Jail. The officer driving the van lead the way followed by the young group of teens, then the Troopers.

Danny managed to get behind Karen and say low enough for only her to hear, "Sorry about all this."

Karen bite her bottom lip not trusting her voice right then as she only nodded, 'OK.'

When the officer reached a standard unlocked door he opened it and lead the others through into the Sally port area. He tapped a window on the right side of the small hallway as he went by.

Everyone in the group, except the officers, jumped and a couple of the girls even squealed as the barred door of the Sally port entrance 'popped' like a firecracker as it was opened from the inside. Once everyone was past the barred door Trooper Mitchell closed the door behind him. Only then did the door in front of the officer up front buzz open.

After coming out of the dark into such a lighted area it was blinding. The group was taken into a large open room with a cell on either side of the room. There were two steel counters on either side of the room well away from the cells. Other that that the room was empty.

One of the male deputies working the jail began helping the Troopers take one of the guys one at a time into a room off to the side. They were gone a few minutes then brought back to the main room changed in to outfits that resembled scrubs that were seen in hospitals only these weren't green they were large black and white stripes. Each of the guys were then put into the cell to the left of the room.

The deputy then went into the office area and a female deputy came out and took each of the girls back one at a time.

Karen managed not to be the first taken out of the room. She couldn't figure out why they had to change clothes. She knew that when she called her parents, they may not be happy but they could be in town in about thirty minutes. This all seemed a waste of time to her. Karen heard the officer tell her she was next.

Once in the side room the officer said, "Alright put all you jewelry, anything in your pockets on the table and get undressed."

"Undressed? But, why? Once I call my parents they'll be right down." Karen explained.

The officer replied, "After you change there is still a lot of paperwork to do. We'll let you all have a phone call about 7. This is Sunday, I wouldn't expect the Judge here at least until 1."

"The Judge? Wait. Ya'll aren't just gonna call our parents to come pick us up?" Karen knew she was tipsy but something didn't seem right here.

The officer looked closer at the girls ID, "That's what we would have done **before** you turned eighteen. Now, you got to go through the process. So, just take everything off and we'll have you changed and back with your friends before you know it."

Karen did as she was told as she was searched, then dressed in a set of black and white striped scrubs that were at least two sizes too big for her.

"Alright I'll take you back out to your friends." The officer said.

Karen went back out the way they had come into the smaller room. She was directed to the cell area to join Jackie and Charlene so the officer could search Peggy.

The officer took large brass keys out of her pocket and automatically flipped them to the right key even without seeming to look at them. She opened the cell door for Karen.

Karen walked through the door and was only just inside when she heard the 'clang' of the door shutting and the 'click' of the lock as the officer locked the door. Karen had never thought of herself as claustrophobic before, but right about now, she thought she just may be as the space suddenly seemed really small.

Jackie was standing beside Karen, "Hey are you alright? You ain't getting sick are you?" She asked as she saw her friend pale.

"No. No, ... I'll be alright. Just seen like this place was a lot bigger standing out there." Karen said. Then she noticed that Jackie didn't seem too bothered by their current state. "You don't seem worried about any of this?"

"Why worry? I knew it was likely to happen eventually. I knew that when I decided to date Frank, in fact I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner." Jackie said.

Peggy was brought to the cell and was still a bit unstead on her feet. After the officer locked the door and returned to the office, Peggy asked, "So when do we get to get out of here and **these** clothes?"

Charlene spoke up from where she was setting on the bunk, "Shouldn't be long. They are likely calling our parent to come get us now."

Karen looked at the others, "No they aren't. The officer said we could use the phone about 7 to call ourselves."

"What? Oh God." Charlene said she knew her father would pitch a fit having to come get her tonight but Lord help her in the morning especially if she wasn't in church and on time in the morning. With her father the local pastor it was demanded she be at all the church events. "Dad will kill me."

Karen didn't even want to think about her Dad or worse yet her MOTHER!

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Please take a minute to review! Thanks!


	44. What the Morning Light can Reveal

This chapter is a bit longer. Sorry that it was delayed by a trip for work. I was gone three days for a class so I wanted to get this posted before returning to work tomorrow. Hope you enjoy and take the time to review. Thanks.

This is for AndyDuke and any folks that I confused. Yes Hazzard and Placid are in the same state, but the one major thing about Hazzard is that Boss even then owned the law and as long as he was making money he looked the other way or instructed his employees to do so. In Hazzard I have the legal drinking age at 18, though at 16 if you knew how to you could possibly sneak something to drink in the dark crowded bar as long as someone there was 18 to order it. In Placid and rest of the state it is like it should be 21. Thanks to Jadedphoenixburning for actually looking up the laws in Georgia (even though they only pin pointed Hazzard County as East of the Mississippi and South of the Mason Dixon Line)for somewhere in this time period. From 1933 to 1972, drinking age was 21 like in Placid County. Then, from 72 it was lowered for about 10 years to 18. Since this is set before Luke goes in the Marines it is sometime in the early 70's. I figure Boss seen the change coming and went ahead and lowered it for Hazzard County.

Side note - In the beginning of the story when I set Hazzard's drinking age at 18 it was because that's what it was here in WV when I was 18. Only AFTER I turned 21 did they raise it to 21. I was 18 in 1984 so telling my old age here.

Vector 426 - Thanks for the great review. Yeah, if Pauline don't take blood pressure medication, maybe she should have started a couple days ago! Jesse is never sympathetic about a hang over or drinking to excess. He and his brothers have had their days (Umm, seems John may have for got his lessons) and learned. Jesse doesn't uphold them or fill sorry for them, but he knows they too have to live and learn. I got a feeling there are several 'Pipers' needing to be paid. Stand by!

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Chapter 44

Jesse got up whistling for the first time in what seemed like a long while. All his kids were home. Though they may not be a hundred percent today, at least Bo would likely be getting the cast off this week. Things may just be getting back to normal. He knew that it would take Luke awhile to heal but they would manage. Just like they had managed when Luke had been hurt playing football. It rubbed Jesse the wrong way that the Green boy had intentionally hurt his oldest, but from the sounds of it he would be getting his for the next three months or so.

Jesse dressed and made coffee. After drinking his first cup of coffee, Jesse got out the large frying pan to get ready to fix breakfast for all the kids and their friends. He looked out toward the barn and didn't see any movement what so ever. Jesse shook his head. He knew the boys had went to the Boar's Nest early last evening. He hoped they hadn't gotten into the shine in the barn when they got home. Well he didn't mean that exactly. Jesse knew that Luke was likely hurting so he didn't really mind if they all had a drink with him. He just really hoped they didn't over do things. Jesse poured another cup of coffee and after taking a long drink he squared his shoulders and started for the barn.

Jesse opened the barn door. To his surprise he didn't see any of the boys. He fumed there was Bo with a still broken wrist and Luke with broken ribs. Neither should be going up the barn ladder. He grumbled as he started up the ladder and still heard no movement up there. The boys should have been up and ready a half hour ago. Jesse topped the ladder. Looking in the loft he saw his boys and two friends in various locations all over the loft. But, what caught his attention was a quart jar that was empty by Luke and gallon jug empty beside Cooter.

Jesse in his normal wake up voice said, "Luke."

Luke didn't even bother to budge.

"Bo." Jesse said a bit louder. Nothing. Jesse went on up the ladder and stood to the side of the loft. "BOYS!" Jesse nearly yelled.

Luke's body reacted to Jesse's voice. He set straight up only then did he feel the pain in his broken and bruised ribs. That wasn't to mention the added strain his body had been put through last night with Ruby. Luke first grabbed his ribs then his head as it now throbbed with his heart beat.

Bo bolted upright. Grabbed his head and groaned loudly.

Jeb also bolted upright. His eyes bugged out as he crawled his way to the loft door then promptly threw his guts up.

Mark's head was pounding without ever opening his eyes. He took a couple deep breaths in hopes of not joining Jeb as he groaned. The sound of Jeb tossing his 'cookies' didn't help one bit as he felt himself retch. If he could just lay real still and block out the sounds of a sick Jeb, Mark just may live to make it down the ladder.

Cooter groaned, "Uncle Mister Jesse. We're awake."

"I'm not your danged blame Uncle! But I am glad that you are ALL awake! Breakfast twenty minutes. Don't be late." Jesse said in a booming voice as he started back down the ladder.

Just the thought of breakfast cause Jeb to throw up that much more.

Luke was already setting up so laying back down wasn't an option. He hurt to set up. It hurt to breath. His head was pounding. The sun now beaming into the open loft door blinded him. Nothing he tried seemed to help so far so he stood up. Thankful that when he reached out he was able to grab the side wall of the barn with his right hand as his left still protectively cradled his sore ribs.

Cooter took one look at his friend, "Uh, Luke? Are you alright? You don't look so swell."

Luke wasn't sure that he had enough air in his chest to answer, so he merely nodded, "Yes."

Bo's head was pounding. He threw his right hand up hoping to sooth his head only to hit himself in the head with the plaster cast on his right arm. "Ahhh!" He groaned louder.

Luke started for the ladder.

Cooter asked, "Luke what are you doing? You can barely stand. Let me go down in front of you."

" 'K." Luke mumbled.

That was the second sign to Cooter that something wasn't right with his friend. Luke had given up far too easily. Once Cooter made it to the ground, he made sure that Luke also had both feet planted firmly on the ground before he looked back up to the top of the ladder. "Come on fellas. Uncle Mister Jesse better not have to come back out here or we are all in deep HOT water."

Mark made his way down the ladder leaving Bo with Jeb who was still violently ill.

Luke started out of the barn and noticed that he was still unsteady on his feet besides the fact that his ribs and head were hurting. Luke had been here before. He wasn't hung over. He was still drunk which would not go over well if Jesse figured that out.

Jeb took a couple deep breaths hoping that if there was anything else in his body that it stayed there. Not bothering to try to stand he crawled to the ladder.

Bo was glad that Jeb was moving toward the house at least. Bo's head was pounding from the alcohol that he had drank, the bright light beaming inside the loft, and the fact that he had waylay-ed himself with the plaster cast on his right arm. Bo was the last of the group to plant his feet on the ground of the barn. He was glad he hadn't let go of the ladder just yet as he had to use his left hand to steady himself before he tried to walk the distance from the barn to the house.

The walk from the barn to the house on any given day was nothing to the five country boys. Today, though, that same walk seemed like a survival mission in the Amazon. Each of the boys knew that Jesse may not have been seen, but they knew he didn't have to be seen to know that he was watching them.

When they all finally made it in the house the boys washed up for the morning as usual, then headed for the table.

Luke took a cup of coffee with him to the table in his right hand as his left was still supporting his ribs.

Daisy took one look at the bunch already at the table as she came in the kitchen and remarked, "Oh, My."

Jesse turned to put a plate of bacon on the table as if he hadn't noticed anything at all.

Jeb got only a smell of the delicious bacon, grabbed his mouth with his hand and bolted toward the bathroom.

Jesse looked after his youngest as he made a quick exit, then Jesse set down a plate of eggs on the table.

Bo as always, was the first to start filling his plate after grace. He took a quick bite of toast and eggs as he cut the next bite. Suddenly he stopped. The toast and eggs that should be heading down to his stomach were now in reverse. Bo knew that they had not so much as hit his stomach yet the food was on it's way back up. He grabbed to cover his mouth and bolted out the back door since Jeb was in the bathroom.

Jesse still had not said anything to any of them about their present condition.

Luke would have rather been being fussed at than waiting for his Uncle to get started fussing. He never liked to wait for the lectures he **knew** was sure to come when he least expected them. He took a sip of coffee and placed his head in his hand as he watched the second of his cousins that he was responsible for heading away from the breakfast table. They were not making it any easier on their oldest cousin who still had to tell his Uncle Jesse about Jeb's father.

Cooter went through the motions of taking a minimal bit of breakfast on his plate. He hoped that he could at least make it outside to chores before he tossed his breakfast.

The first plate passed to Mark was the toast. That seemed safe enough. He took a piece put it on his plate and passed it on. The bacon and eggs he passed on without taking any.

Jesse watched and waited. He was planning his lecture as he watched the group. They were obviously hung over, if not still drunk. Jesse Duke was never one to try to make saints out of the kids he knew would one day take over the family business but he never held to over indulgence, especially the night before the Lords day.

Daisy also seen what was going on but didn't dare say anything. She gave Luke a look.

Luke barely nodded his head, 'no'. He didn't want her to say anything just yet about John.

Jesse didn't miss this exchange between his two kids as he took a bite of his eggs. Heaven knew he was earning his gray hair but if he could save a few breaths he would do so. He was waiting for the others to get back to the table and for breakfast to wind down before he addressed the boys about their current state.

Everyone at the table sat in silence waiting for the younger two to return to the table as they all went through the motions of eating breakfast.

After tossing his cookies the last thing Bo wanted to do was to eat breakfast, but he knew he was expected at the table. Bo sighed. He knew he was in deep for coming to the table on a Sunday morning in his current condition, but he was sure to be in deeper if he didn't return to the family breakfast.

Jeb took the glass from the side of the sink and rinsed his mouth out, then he washed his face in cold water. He may not spend as much time with his uncle as Bo, Luke and Daisy, but he knew he was expected back at that table. Breakfast was cooked and Dukes don't waste food. Ever. A few more deep breaths and he was ready as he'd ever be to head back to the table. Jeb wasn't sure he'd be able to eat but he would at least return to the table. As he came down the hall toward the living room he met Bo. Both exchanged a look and dropped their head just a bit as they both returned to the breakfast table.

Jesse looked up from his plate as both his nephews returned to the table. "Welcome back."

Luke grimaced both from his pain and the pain from his uncles statement. Luke looked at the clock. He knew two things. One if John decided to call Jesse the phone was sure to ring soon. Two, if he called Pauline it may ring a bit later if she didn't wake up wondering where John was and call before he had a chance to call anyone. Luke took a sip of coffee and tried to clear his throat. "Uncle Jes, ... somethin, ... happene, ... last nig, ..." Luke stopped and tried to get his breath back. Luke swore to himself. He knew he had felt much better yesterday than he was this morning and it had nothing to do with too much alcohol. "We went, ..." Luke's voice faded out, "to the lake,..." He rubbed his forehead with his right hand as his left arm still cradled his ribs. Luke seen the long version wasn't going to happen. "Got back, ... the Boar's Nest, ... and, ..."

Bo had seen enough. He wasn't sure what was wrong with Luke but he didn't need to continue on. "Uncle Jesse what Luke is trying to say is, ..."

Jesse had been watching Luke. The longer he tried to talk the paler he had become. Jesse said to Luke, "You hush." then to Bo, "You talk."

Luke felt a bit of relief in not having to tell Jesse about his younger brother's escapades. He took a sip of coffee, kicked back in the chair trying to catch his breath as Bo began.

"Uncle Jesse we don't know what went on before we got there, but when we got to the Boar's Nest Rosco was breaking up a fight. One of the people he arrested was Uncle John."

"John? What was he doing there? Arrested? For what?" Jesse asked.

Bo took the lead of the bunch again, "We're not rightly sure, but it had to do with a fight between him and Mr. Campbell from the bank."

Jesse replied, "Campbell. Steve Campbell. Well, that about figures."

"You don't seemed surprised? Do they have a history?" Jeb asked.

"About like that there blamed stubborn mule and the Green boy." Jesse said as he motioned toward Luke.

"Great." Luke said then added, "Excuse me." He took his coffee and left his untouched meal and went to his familiar dining place on the mantel. That is where he had eaten his meals at when his back side was too sore to sit down from a whippin'. Today, however, it was so he could try to keep breathing.

Jesse wanted to hear more about John, but he'd seen Luke with similar rib injuries before. Something was wrong. "Luke." Jesse called as he went to him. "Are you alright, or did you just over do it last night?"

Luke never had a chance to reply as his feet were in gear before his mind was. Heading to the bathroom Luke tried every way he knew up not to throw up. He knew that throwing would be unpleasant at best on a normal basics but with the rib injury it would not help matters at all. The more his body retched the more he tried to stop it from doing so. The added stress on his ribs was nearly unbearable no matter how he tried to use his arms to stabilize his ribs. Luke lost the battle as the few sips of coffee he had gotten down came back up. For what seemed like an eternity, Luke alternated between heaving up anything in his system and groaning in pain from the heaving.

Jesse was no doctor, but Luke was his boy he'd raise from a toddler. Something wasn't right. Jesse needed to handle Bo and Jebb. He needed to find out more about John, but right now. Luke needed him more as he headed to the bathroom with concern written on his face. Jesse made it to the bathroom as Luke was throwing up. It was obvious to Jesse that Luke had drank shine last night but what worried him was that there was some blood in the toilet. Not a lot but blood was never a good thing.

Daisy seen the look and followed after her uncle. Jesse had been worried, maybe even scared. The Duke bathroom wasn't that big with Luke and Jesse inside so Daisy stopped at the door.

Jesse tried to be calm but it wasn't what he felt. He almost told Daisy to have Bo get his truck to the front door, but figured it was mush smarter to send Daisy. "Daisy bring the truck around and have Bo call Doc."

At the look on her Uncle's face Daisy nearly bolted back down the hall. As she headed out the back door like she was being chased, "Bo call Doc!"

Bo looked at the others confused, then got up. He couldn't imagine what was that wrong that Daisy and Jesse were so worried about. After all, Luke just drank too much last night but he headed to the phone anyway.

Jesse waited until Luke got himself settled down a bit then said, "Come on. We're going up town."

Luke closed his eyes and rubbed his head a second before saying, "But, ... I'm fine... Real, ...ly." He had tried his best to get the sentence out in one breath but it didn't work, at all.

"No. No, you are not fine. Now I need to go to town anyway so you can just go see Doc while we are there." Jesse said.

Luke knew he'd never win the arrangement he wanted to voice, but he frankly just didn't feel well enough to argue.

NARRATOR: "Mark that on the books. A Duke not feeling well enough to argue. This might be serious."

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In Placid County, the girls had finally made the best of their situation and each taken one of the bunks of the two sets of bunk beds in their cell. Peggy had been out in no time. Charlene alternated between worrying and crying while Jackie and Karen had talked a long while.

Karen could not even think about how much trouble she was going to be in once her parents got there. She almost wished that Jeb had been home to run interference for her. She had been having the best date in a long while and now she was sitting in a cell wearing stripes for goodness sake. She hadn't even been allowed to keep her bra because it had under wires in it.

Within a couple hours all the girls had finally drifted off especially after all the paperwork had been done and the lights turned out.

Across the room, Larry had managed to get sick again but had finally passed out. Frank and Roy were still just high enough to find this strangely funny. Danny however, didn't find it at all funny. Not only were his parents going to kill him, but he'd likely never get another shot at Duke's sister again.

Frank asked, "How far did you get?"

Danny shook his head, "I'll just say things looked real promising until those lights came on." Danny had been the last to doze off. He had tried to stay awake thinking of how to get them out of this mess but nothing was coming to him.

It was nearing 7 am when the kitchen let the officers know the coffee was ready. Danny was the first awake so the officer intended to find out what the arresting officer needed to know. "Now, what's you name?"

Danny replied, "Daniel."

"Alright. So which one of them," he nodded toward the girls, "Was you with?"

Danny thought this was just guy talk, "The blond on the bottom bunk."

"Ya'll been out much?" The officer made small talk.

"No, last night was our first time going out. Looks like after this it will likely be our last too." Danny said.

The officer asked, "So what about you buddy there that likes to puke on the Troopers shoes?"

"That would be Larry." Danny replied.

"So what's with him?" The officer asked.

Danny didn't think nothing about chatting with the officer, "He must have gotten too carried away. He said he always wanted to make it with the preachers girl."

"Preacher's daughter huh? Which one?" The Officer asked.

"The one facing the wall above Karen." Danny said.

"And the others?" The officer knew he was on a roll.

"My buddy, Frank over there has been dating Jackie for a couple years now. She is on the other top bunk." Danny said. "Then there is Peggy. Roy has heard a lot about her. I think he is trying to see if what he heard is true."

The officer asked, "Well, was it?"

Danny replied, "I have no idea. I don't think they got that far."

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John Duke was awake early, very early. When Rosco offered him the phone he declined. He knew Rosco's rule of only one phone call from past history. "If it's all the same to you I'll wait a spell. The boys should have told Jesse by now. So he should be here soon."

Rosco replied, "Suit yourself." Then he said to Mr. Campbell. "You got anyone to call?"

"Oh yeah, I've got someone to call alright. Someone that when they find out what you did, they will have your job." Campbell threatened.

"Do your best." Was all that Rosco said. He knew his job was pretty secure since his sister was married to the man that was trying to own his soul.

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Pauline heard one of the girls crying. She automatically reached for John who normally got them in the mornings. His side of the bed was empty and unslept in. Pauline sighed. She hated to get straight up and have to take care of the girls. That was why John usually got them so she could at least go to the bathroom, get their bottles, start coffee and wake up a couple minutes before having to be the cheery mother.

Cheery was one thing Pauline (Loftlin) Duke was not this morning! It had been years since her husband had spent all night out without her knowing where he was and when he'd be home. When Pauline went in the nursery, she was not surprised to find Emily wide awake. "Come on Sweetie. We'll take you a nice clean diaper downstairs and change you while your bottle is getting warm." Pauline hoped to get the first twin changed and fed before the second one woke up.

Pauline's luck held out, but just as she put Emily down in the bassinet, Emma woke up and she had to start most of the same process all over again.

Pauline had finally gotten a chance to call Jesse's just as their was a knock at the door. She put the phones receiver down and went to the back door. Seeing her brother, Carl wasn't that much of a surprise since he helped John with the farm.

Coming by her to make himself at home, Carl began, "Don't tell me John is already at it. He told me to be here early this morning. I'm even a few minutes early but I didn't see the truck out there."

Pauline hadn't had to think of something this quick in years. "He must have forgotten you was coming over. What did he want you to do today?"

"Well, he called me after we knocked it off yesterday and told me to be here early so we could go out and make a loop around the entire place and check the fences. He said there was some he hadn't seen in awhile that needed checked." Carl said as he reached for the coffee pot only to see that the coffee hadn't finished perking yet. "You haven't been up long."

Pauline didn't know where John was, but she now knew he had not been truthful with her when he said he was checking those same fences yesterday evening. The last statement confused Pauline then she seen Carl at the unfinished coffee, "Second pot. John took a thermos. I figure you need to get started checking those fences." The only place Pauline could tell Carl that John was at that would buy him enough time to get back home if her suspicions were right would be if he had went to Hazzard. She knew from past history if John was in trouble he had always called Jesse not her. "John may be awhile getting to you. He got a call last evening from Jesse and went to see Jeb early this morning so looks like you are on your own today for awhile." Pauline lied. She didn't like to lie and hadn't had to lie to her family about where John was for years, but she also couldn't tell them she didn't know and surely wasn't going to tell her brother where she feared John was at since she hadn't heard from him.

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Please don't forget to leave a review, comment ot suggestions.


	45. Living with Last Night's Choices

Thanks to all of you for reading and more thanks to those who take a few minutes to leave words of encouragement. I try to respond by PM's to anyone who reviews, but sometimes life gets in the way. There are some who don't have the PM feature and that's why I acknowledge their reviews before the chapter begins. Also, I'm an EMT not a doctor and while my medical and legal versions may not be totally correct I at least hope I make them feasibly possible. This is fiction after all.

Vector 426 - Thanks for continuing to read! No blood is never good and I think you might be right about Luke's date with Ruby not helping matters. As for Jesse's full plate, it's just another normal day in Hazzard! Hummmm a 'volcanic event'. I like that. It just may be exactly what happens when Pauline gets wound up!

Evading the Whole Truth

Chapter 45

Judge Milton (Hardcase) Hardcastle never considered himself a slacker, but on Sunday mornings he did indulge himself in just a might more sleep. After fixing his coffee he sat down to a file for an upcoming case he would have in as couple weeks over in Chickasaw County. Hardcastle had made it to his second cup of coffee when the phone rang. "Hardcastle."

"Judge this is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane of Hazzard County." Rosco said brightly.

Hardcastle rolled his eyes. He knew who the man was. "Yes, Sheriff."

"Well, git, git, git, I got a couple for you to see this morning don't ya know." Rosco giggled as he talked to the Judge.

"Alright. Well, I'll be over after church. Say about one." Hardcastle advised.

That made Rosco's day even better. Wasn't nothing like making an arrest and having to let them go as soon as he got them. Sorta like catching a trophy fish and having to turn it loose. "I'll let them know, Judge."

Hardcastle looked at his clock. He still had awhile before getting ready for church. After pouring a third cup of coffee he looked back at the file. He had no more that read the first sentence when the phone rang again. "Hardcastle."

"Judge this is Placid County jail and we have a house full for you." The officer said.

"A house full? On a Sunday? How did that happen?" Hardcastle asked. He was the Judge for four Counties and usually never had to go to more than one County on the same day. For that matter he usually didn't have to leave his house on the weekends.

"Trooper Mitchell and a trainee were making rounds last night and came up on a bunch that were skinny dipping." The officer said.

Sighing the Judge said, "Skinny dipping?"

"When they got closer they seen that there was some drinking going on. Everyone there was under age and drinking." The officer explained.

"Everyone. How many is everyone?" Hardcastle figured the situation was being exaggerated.

"Eight." The officer replied.

The Judge sighed again. There went his chance to catch a fish today. "Alright, I have church, then I have a couple in Hazzard. With travel time, I should be there after four." Hardcastle hated to make anyone wait that long on a Sunday but it just couldn't be helped today.

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By the time Jesse made it to the living room with Luke, Bo was at the phone ready to call Doc but he didn't know why he was calling. "Uncle Jesse. Daisy said for me to call Doc, but why?" In his mind Luke was like the rest of them and had only drank far too much shine.

Jesse said gruffly, "Tell Doc I'm bring Luke in. Something isn't right with him." Jesse turned to Mark and Cooter, "Get him in the truck I've got to get the butter 'n egg money before I go."

Jeb was there with the others, "Can I go with you all?"

Jesse checked the time and then looked at the bunch in front of him. "No. Jeb I have been down this road with your father before. I can do it again. What I expect from each and everyone of you all is to be in church and on time. Do what you all need to get sober." He held up his hand, "No, none of you are sober and Daisy, you keep them awake in church. There is already three of us Dukes not gonna be filling seats in two churches this morning so you all are going. No excuses."

Mark and Cooter had stopped near the door as they were taking Luke to the truck. Luke would have rather went to church than to Doc's, "Uncle Jes,... I can, ... get a, ... show, ... 'n see Doc, ... later."

Mark and Cooter ducked when they saw Jesse turn toward Luke and them.

Jesse said sternly, "Get him to the pickup." Then he turned back to Bo and Jeb, "I mean it. Be at church, sober and on time. Don't forget you all have chores to do." Jesse got in the truck and headed toward town.

While they were getting Luke in the truck Bo had Maybelle connect him to Doc Applebee's house.

When the phone rang Doc Applebee's niece was at the phone first, "Doctor Applebee's" She said sleepily.

Bo groaned. This was not his morning, "Kim where is Doc?"

Kim knew the voice and frowned. "Bo Duke? What do you need with my uncle for so early in the morning? Is everything alright there?"

"LOOK, I really just need to talk to Doc, now." Bo insisted with a slightly raised voice that only made his head pound worse.

"I am perfectly capable of telling my Uncle what is going on Bo Duke." Kim said.

Doc Applebee came in the room just in time to hear Bo's name, "Bo Duke? Is everything alright out there?"

Kim rolled her eyes as she handed him the phone, "I don't know he wouldn't tell me."

Doc took the phone, "Bo?"

"Yeah, Doc look Uncle Jesse should be there anytime with Luke. He seems to think something isn't right with him." Bo quickly explained.

"Jesse thinks something isn't right with Luke. What about you? Can you tell me anything at all?" Doc asked knowing that the Duke boys were very close to each other.

Bo sighed, "Well, I know he had a bit to drink last night but that is about all I know."

Doc didn't think anything strange about Luke drinking a bit he likely would need something to take the edge off for a week or so until those ribs started to heel some. "Luke hasn't been exerting himself or anything has he?"

"Nothing that I've seen Doc, but you might want to ask him that yourself." Bo replied.

"Alright. Thanks for calling Bo. I'll take care of Luke when they get here." Doc told Bo. Doc turned to Kim, "Jesse Duke should be here with Luke anytime."

"I'll go get ready." Kim said.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Everyone was awake at the Placid County jail. The officer came out of the office after turning on the phones just outside the cells. He told the group, "The phones are on. All the calls are collect, just listen to instructions on the phone."

Charlene knew she needed to call her parents soon in hopes of still making it to church. At least that would be one less thing she'd get in trouble for.

Danny was at the phone ready to dial, "When should we tell them they should be here?"

The officer couldn't help the slight grin on his face, "Well, the Judge said he was going to church then he has two arraignments in Hazzard before he heads over here. So around four, maybe five."

Charlene nearly shrieked, "What? You said FOUR o'clock?"

"Maybe five." The officer replied.

Charlene turned away from the phone to Jackie and the others, "I'm dead. They are going to kill me."

Jackie replied, "Well, I hate to tell you but if they wake up and find us all not at home they are going to be worried to death. Then, that worry will surely turn to anger when they find out where we are. We better not wait too long."

Karen replied, "Well, at least they won't be looking for me. I told my parents I was staying with Charlene last night."

Charlene added, "At least that was the plan after we got home last night."

Jackie said, "We'll when your parents find you both gone they are likely to call Karen's house."

Together both girls replied, "Oh, Lord." Neither had thought of that.

Peggy said, "Well, which ever one of you is going to call first. Please do it so I can call my folks. They should be nearly ready to make sure I'm up for church."

Charlene was still beside the phone. She reached between the bars and dialed her home phone number then listened to the instructions to say her name at the tone. Charlene said at the tone, "Charlene." then she waited as the phone was connected to her house.

Mrs. Murphy was just heading to her daughter's room to wake her and her friend for church. She hadn't believed how quiet they were when they came home last night. As she started up the stairs the phone rang. Returning to the ringing phone she answered, "Murphy residence."

She was greeted by a recording, "This is a collect call from the County jail, from, ... Charlene." Not believing what she heard, Mrs. Murphy followed the directions to accept the charges for the call. The line was connected. "Charlene?"

"Mother. ..." Charlene said then hesitated not knowing where to begin.

"What was that recording about? Surely there is some mistake that recording said it was the County jail."

"Mother there is no mistake," Charlene felt tears filling up her eyes threatening to fall as she talked, "That's where we are."

Her mother replied, "You said 'we', who is the 'we' ?"

"Mother I'll explain it to you when you get here. They are saying you should be here by around four or even later." Charlene said.

"Four? Oh my, that just isn't acceptable. You will need to be at church at ten." Her mother said failing to see the reality of the situation.

Charlene rolled her eyes, "Mother I really don't think you understand. Believe me I'd rather be in church this morning, but I need to go and let the others use the phone."

Across the room Danny, was dialing his house. After following the instructions he heard his father answer, "Dad I'm here at the jail. Can you be here about four when the Judge gets here?"

"What is going on? You said you 'at the jail'. Are you 'at' or 'in' jail?" His father attempted to clarify the situation.

"Well, 'in' is a better way to describe it." Danny said.

His father asked, "What are the charges?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but the others need to use the phone." Danny said.

Danny's father replied, "Alright." He had decided to call the jail to find out exactly what was going on just as soon as he was off the phone.

Charlene handed the phone off to Karen. After following the directions, Karen waited and prayed for her father to answer the phone. He was always up first. He should be the one to answer the phone. Karen grimaced when heard her mother's voice on the phone.

Pauline was glad that Carl had just left to start the chores after he explained that John had wanted to get the animals taken care early so that they would be done before church. After church John had wanted to get the fences looked at as they went to the lake for their regular Sunday fishing trip. Pauline had only heard half of what Carl had said after she learned that John had lied to her about what he was doing yesterday and then wanted to get it done today. Never mind that he shouldn't be doing any work today other than taking care of the animals. She was sure to let him know just how wrong it was to work on Sunday just as soon as he got home. The phone rang just after Carl went out the door, which also caused Emma to start crying. Pauline reached for the crying infant, then the phone. She heard an unfamiliar recording from the County jail. Before she could process the information or even get mad at John for once again being in jail she heard her daughters voice on the line say her name.

"Karen? Where are you? You are supposed to be with Charlene." Pauline said as she tried to hush Emma.

"Well, I am with Charlene. Trouble is, …. we are in the jail." Karen replied.

"JAIL? What on Earth for?" Pauline gasped.

Karen said, "I don't know the official stuff. Could you just send Daddy down here about four or so when the Judge gets here?"

"One of us will be there, but I intend to find out what happened just as soon as you get home young lady!" Pauline said in a huff as the phones time ran out and ended the conversation.

Karen was a bit relieved when the phone conversation was ended. She hoped to see her father here in stead of her mother, but she really didn't think her mother would come down 'here' with the twins.

Pauline wasn't sure where John Duke was at but she hoped he was home by four to go get Karen. It already looked as if her and the twins would be going to church alone. Not only was that something she didn't look forward to but she was now going to have to explain at least a dozens times where John and Karen were. She couldn't very well tell them that she didn't know where John was, nor was she going to tell anyone that her oldest daughter was in jail. 'What was that Karen said? That she was with Charlene?' Pauline thought, then said out loud, "Oh my Lord." She knew it just wouldn't do for the the preachers daughter to miss church AND be in jail. Where had she went wrong in allowing Karen to be friends with Charlene? She was always so careful when she checked out her children's friends. Being the preachers daughter, Pauline had figured the girl would be a good influence on her daughter. She would just have to find out where she had went wrong.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Rosco looked at the two grown men behind the bars across the jail and said, "Good news. Good news! The Judge will be today, just after church, ... about one o'clock."

John wasn't sure exactly how that was good news but it beat the way some places did things. He'd seen some places that if you were locked up after five in the evening on Friday you had to wait at least until Monday at nine in the morning to even think about seeing a Judge. He planned to make two stops when he walked out the front door upstairs. One to the farm to see Jeb. He didn't think Jesse would bring him along. The second was at the drug store for a home test for Pauline. He figured if she was going to be spitting nails that once was better than twice.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse watched Luke all the way to town. Luke was setting very straight up, just a bit to straight up. His left arm was still protectively guarding his ribs. His breathing just didn't seem right to Jesse. He hoped that his nephew had not had a lung punctured. Jesse had seen a lot of broken ribs in his time and he knew a lung could collapse easily. He also knew that anyone with broken ribs ran the risk of pneumonia for some time after the injury. Luke had been lucky when his ribs were injured before. He hadn't had any complications from them, but it looked like he may not be so lucky this time around. Jesse parked on the street in front of Doc's house and office. They were facing the Courthouse where Jesse's second stop of the day would be.

Once out of the truck Luke refused any help from Jesse as he slowly made his way up the walk and up the couple steps onto porch.

Kim was already at the door with it open. She took one look at Luke. Even she didn't like she she saw, "Uncle, ..." She was cut off.

"I'm here." Doc wasn't sure how it was possible but Luke looked worse than he had right after the fight. "Come on back."

Jesse was only a step behind Luke, the doctor and his niece as the four went into the larger of the exam rooms where the portable X-ray was located.

"Alright Luke just take off you're shirt and lay back." Doc said.

Luke started to unbutton his shirt and grimaced as he moved to take the shirt off.

Kim was beside her uncle as he was getting ready to examine Luke. "Here. Let me get that." She helped get the shirt off Luke's shoulders.

Luke seen the flat bed Doc had wanted him to lay on, "Doc, ... can't lay,... down, ... can't, ... brea,..."

Doc nodded. He didn't like how short of breath Luke was as he raised the head of the bed to almost a sitting position. "Here this will be better. I'll help you get your feet up." After Luke was some what settled Doc said, "Alright, you two need to step out while I get a couple pictures." Once Jesse and Kim were outside, Doc asked, "Luke just nod for me. You haven't been in anymore fights have you?"

Luke nodded, 'no.'

"Good." Doc said, "How about trying to over do it? Lift anything? Chores? Anything like that?"

Luke again nodded, 'no.'

"Have you done anything that caused you a great deal of pain since the fight?" Doc asked.

Luke didn't automatically nod 'no', he was thinking back to last night with Ruby. But what they had done felt great, but he also remembered hurting like he-. Luke looked up to see Doc looking at him waiting on an answer. Luke dropped his gaze to the floor, "Yeah."

Doc could tell that he didn't really want to ask what the young man had been doing but he'd about bet that at least one of the ribs that had been cracked had now been broken. He just hoped that a lung had not been punctured in the process. "I'm not going to ask what you were doing. Let me get these pictures." After getting the X-rays, Doc said, "Just relax until I get back with these. I'll send your Uncle in."

"Doc?" Luke said.

Doc turned around, "I'm not going to say a word, Son."

Luke looked relieved, "Thanks, ... Doc."

Jesse came back in the exam room to wait with Luke.

After getting the X-rays ready Doc came back in the room and flipped a light on and hung two of Luke's X-rays in front of them. "I want to show you something. This was Luke's X-ray taken after the fight. There are three broken ribs here, here and here." Doc said as he pointed them out. "Now look here, here and here." Doc said as he pointed to another rib on the left side and two on the right side. These ribs had cracks running through them but weren't broken."

Luke was sure he didn't want to hear the rest of this or see today's X-ray.

Doc flipped up the second X-ray taken a short while ago. "Now look at this. There are breaks from after the fight. Here are three more. Now, what we're going to do is I'm going to re-wrap you. I'm hoping the reason for so much additional pain is that there is only some more swelling. If so, you shouldn't be in much more pain than you were the last time we did this. Then, I'm going to leave the next part up to you." Doc paused before he very seriously said, "I can put you to bed in a room here in the clinic for about **two** **weeks** where I can make sure you are in bed, OR I can send you home with Jesse and let him keep a **REAL **close eye on you. Making sure you go no further than the couch or **MAYBE** the front porch for at **least** a week."

Luke swore to himself but didn't dare voice it in front of Doc or Jesse.

"Well?" Doc asked.

Luke replied, "Home."

"Alright, then we'll get busy here." Doc said.

Jesse spoke up, "Doc. This morning Luke threw up and there was blood in it. Not a lot but some."

Doc nodded. "It happens. After I get him re-wrapped, I'm going to check him out more. I don't think he's going to make church this morning Jesse if you want to go get ready. After church he should be ready to head out of here."

Luke looked up at the clock. That would be nearly four hours from now. "But, ... Doc..."

"I monitor you for a few hours or I'll have Kim make you up a room." Doc said.

Luke seem Jesse smile at Doc Applebee. Doc handled his boys just like he did. He didn't put up with an ounce of their bull headiness. Luke knew he had lost and he hadn't even started to protest.

Jesse said, "Well, in that case, Doc. I have to go check on another mule headed Duke. I'll be back in a spell to check on Luke before I head back to the place."

Doc reassured, "He'll be fine, Jesse."

Luke wasn't so sure that he'd be fine or not. It seemed like Doc and Jesse were working together. He knew Doc just gave Jesse all the additional power needed to make sure he didn't lift anything heavier than a coffee cup for awhile. Luke just plain hated to be fused over and babied when he was sick or hurt.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please take a second to drop a few words on encouragement. Kim is also on loan from jadedphoenixburning.


	46. The Truth Becomes Clearer

Vector 426 - Thaks again for the review! Love the 'Mt Pauline' reference!

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 46

When Jesse walked in the Courthouse he noticed that the Green boy was still in the cell upstairs. Jesse headed down the stairs, "Rosco, open this blamed gate."

John didn't have to look up to know that he was about to catch heck.

Rosco didn't argue as he went to open the gate to let Jesse Duke in to see his brother.

"Do you want to tell me why you were at the Boar's Nest when you told me you was heading to Hatchapee?" Jesse asked.

John hadn't felt like he was two in a long time but right now standing in an orange jumpsuit on the inside of a cell in front of his older brother that was exactly how he felt right now. No he didn't want to tell Jesse why he'd ended up at the Boar's Nest but he figured if he wanted out of that cell that he'd better get to talking. "Well, I thought the kids might have been there or been coming by so I stopped and decided to wait on them. Does Pauline know?"

"I haven't talked to her, but maybe I should have let her come down here." Jesse said.

John knew better than to tell Jesse that he wouldn't do just that because if he did, Jesse would likely use Rosco's phone to call her. "Come on Jesse, just get me out here will you?"

Jesse looked at John a long hard minute before turning to Rosco, "I swear if this bunch keeps it up. I know my hair may be white but they are now working to make me bald too. Rosco what's it gonna take to get him out of there?"

Rosco replied but couldn't keep the grin off his face, "You'll have to be here to see the Judge after church about one."

"Alright." Jesse said to Rosco, then turned to John. He didn't want to get into too much about what happened with the Campbell guy right there. He pointed his finger at his younger brother like he had done when John was a kid, "Then we're gonna talk before you head home."

"Alright." John said as Jesse headed back to the gate.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Pauline didn't really like the idea of taking the twins to church alone. She really wanted to know where John was so she could decided whether to start getting ready or not. She picked up the phone and dialed the Hazzard operator, "Jesse Duke's please."

Gussy made the connection to the Duke farm from the out of County line.

As luck would have it the boys were doing the Sunday morning chores while Daisy had headed for the shower so no one heard the ringing phone.

Gussy said, "There is no answer would you like to try another number?'

"No, I'll try back later." Pauline said.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Over at the Murphy household, Mrs. Murphy had explained their daughter's phone call to her husband along with the non-sense about not being able to get Charlene home until after four o'clock.

Mr. Murphy went to the phone and called the Placid County jail. "Yes, this is Reverend Murphy. I think that my daughter, Charlene is there?"

The officer looked at the paperwork, "Yes, Sir, she is."

"Alright, I'll be right down to get her." Mr. Murphy said.

"Sir, there isn't any point in coming down yet. The Judge won't be here until around four this afternoon." The jail officer said.

"Well, that is just not acceptable. As I told you I am **Reverend** Murphy, my daughter NEEDS to be in church by ten this morning." Rev. Murphy said.

The officer hated when people tried to use their positions in the community to get around the law. Unfortunately, there was nothing that the officer could do until the Judge came in, "Sir, she may very well **need** to be in church but I hate to tell you, it's not going to happen today. The Judge doesn't even come in until after church. He told me when I talked to him earlier that he has some arraignments to do in Hazzard before he even comes over here."

"Surely there must be some way to pick my daughter up before church." Rev. Murphy insisted.

"No, Sir. I'm sorry there isn't. Once the Judge gets here he will set a bond and if you bond her out then she will be released." The officer explained.

"Bond? What do you mean bond her out?" The Reverend asked.

The officer began, "The Judge most always sets a cash bond on charges like your daughters."

"Charges?" It only now hit Rev. Murphy that if his daughter was in jail of course there had to be charges files against her. He wondered what she could have **possibly** done to be arrested. Charlene had never been in trouble in school, always got good grades. She hadn't even asked to date until about a year ago. "Yes, what exactly were the charges?"

The officer flipped the paperwork until he saw the charges. He really didn't think the preacher was going to like either. "Well, Sir, the paperwork shows she is being charged with Underage Drinking and, ... umm, ... Indecent Exposure."

"Surely YOU are mistaken! MY daughter would do no such a thing!" Rev. Murphy said. He saw his wife looking at him with concern.

"I can only tell you what the paperwork says, Sir." The officer said.

After the initial shock of the charges the preacher replied, "Yes, yes. I know. I don't mean to take this out on you. You are certain that there is nothing that I can do until after four?"

"No, Sir. Nothing at all until the Judge arrives." The officer said.

"Alright. Thank you." Rev. Murphy said as he hung up the phone.

"What is it?" Mrs. Murphy asked.

Rev. Murphy said, "You better sit down. I found out what Charlene is charged with doing. There is nothing I can do, even after I told him WHO I am, to get her released sooner."

"What on Earth could she have done?" She asked.

"She is being charged with Underage Drinking and Indecent Exposure." Rev. Murphy explained.

"Oh Dear! She wouldn't do any of that!" Mrs. Murphy said. Then she remembered something Charlene had said when she called. She had said 'we'. So that meant that Charlene wasn't the only one arrested. She was supposed to have the Duke girl spend the night with her. Mrs. Murphy picked up the phone.

Pauline had just gotten the girls almost asleep when the phone rang causing both to start crying. She tried to sooth them as she answered the phone in hopes that it was John David. "Duke residence."

"Mrs. Duke." Mrs. Murphy said as she heard the sounds of the twins crying. She rolled her eyes. Yes, the twins were cute, but who at that age would have a baby? Let alone TWINS?

"Shhhhhh. Yes, that is me. Sorry the phone woke the girls." Pauline said.

"This is Rev. Murphy's wife. Your daughter Karen was supposed to spend the night with Charlene last night." She said.

Pauline hesitated. Karen had said she was with Charlene, but she wasn't sure that Charlene's mother knew that yet. So she replied in a neutral fashion. "Yes."

"Is Karen home?" Mrs. Murphy asked.

Pauline wasn't about to admit to the preachers wife where Karen was, "No, when I spoke to her earlier she said she was with Charlene." It was the truth, Pauline reasoned.

Mrs. Murphy nodded. That's what she had suspected. "Well, just a bit ago I got a call from Charlene. When she was talking she indicated that she may be with Karen."

"Really? Why would they be calling you? They were suppose to be at your house. Did you let them go out?" Pauline asked innocently.

"It was my understanding that they were meeting each other at the movies then maybe going out to eat then coming here. I thought it was strange that I never heard them when they came in." Mrs. Murphy said.

"You didn't? Well that IS odd. I myself can never go to sleep without knowing where my kids are. So. What time DID Charlene take Karen to your house?" Pauline asked.

"Well, that seems to be the trouble. After talking with Charlene, it seems she didn't make it here at all. That's why I was calling to try to figure out if they were indeed together last night." Mrs. Murphy said. She still wasn't ready to go telling members of her husbands congregation that their daughter was in jail.

"As far as I know, they were together all night. Since she was with Charlene, I didn't make her call home to check in last night." Pauline had a feeling that Mrs. Murphy was fishing for what she knew but she wasn't about to be the first one to admit where the girls were. "After all, if your daughter was staying here I would know her where abouts. So if they aren't there and they aren't here, where did Charlene call you from?"

Mrs. Murphy began, "Look, Mrs. Duke, my daughter has never been in any trouble in the past. This is the first time that she has not came home. If our girls are together then your daughter, ... "

Pauline cut her off, "Mrs. Murphy if you are trying to blame Karen for any of this then you better start looking a bit closer to home. MY daughter has NEVER stayed away from home before and the parents NOT known where she was."

"Well now IF they had actually made it here to MY home I would have been able to look after them. We go to bed early on Saturdays to be ready for a full day of praise on Sunday. I always hear Charlene when she comes home alone. So I just knew I'd hear her and a friend coming in." Mrs Murphy said.

"Well, why didn't they make it to your house. Karen is always where she says she'll be. She said that she would be with your daughter. So, where did your daughter go instead of home?" Pauline said a bit louder than planned which caused Emma to stir.

"You said that Karen told you she was with Charlene. So if that is true, can you tell me exactly what YOUR daughter did to get MINE arrested?" Mrs. Murphy lost it.

"What do you MEAN Karen got your daughter arrested? Karen has never been in trouble a day in her life. Just what did Charlene get arrested for anyway?" Pauline protested even louder which managed to wake both the twins up. She was trying to calm both the babies while holding the phone which wasn't working very well.

Mrs. Murphy was having trouble hearing her daughter's friend's mother over the crying babies. "That is beside the point! If YOUR daughter is with her, then what did she DO to get them both arrested?"

Pauline nearly bellowed, "My Karen wouldn't have done anything wrong. My family has been an upstanding part of this community for over a hundred years. I suppose I should have paid attention to some of what was being said about all of those times that Charlene didn't make it into church last year in high school. Now for the last time. WHAT did Charlene get arrested for?"

"Mrs. Murphy frowned, "WHO is saying WHAT about my Charlene NOT being in church? Every time she wasn't at our church she was an honored guest in other districts! How dare you imply anything less!" Mrs. Murphy replied loudly.

Pauline huffed, "Honored guest my left foot! Rumor is she was being 'honored' by all the boys in the other congregations. You still did NOT answer me. What was YOUR daughter arrested for?"

Mrs. Murphy had heard enough and ended the phone conversation by hanging up the phone.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

By the time Jesse got back to Doc's office, Luke looked to be feeling much better. Doc had re wrapped his ribs and then insisted on giving him a shot to take some of the pain. Jesse could tell that his oldest was relaxed and breathing much easier.

Doc said, "He should be awake and ready to go home by the time you are finished at church."

Jesse pulled out his pocket watch. He would be cutting it close but he could manage to get to the farm clean up and be in church on time. "Thanks Doc. What could have caused those other ribs to break like that?"

Doc gave Jesse a gentle smile, "Go get ready for church. We'll talk about that when you get back."

Jesse took another look at his resting nephew, then replied, "Well, alright. I appreciate everything you are doing for my boy."

"That is what I'm here for, Jesse." Doc Applebee said.

After Jesse left Kim looked at her Uncle, "Mr. Duke had a point. What could have made the other ribs break like that?"

Doc Applebee replied to his teenaged niece, "Never mind that. You need to get ready for church too and tell the Reverend that I am attending a patient this morning."

Kim turned to get ready for church, "Yes, Sir." She still couldn't help but wonder what the older Duke boy had managed to do to get re-injured in such a short time." She couldn't help taking just one more look at the dark haired Duke without his shirt on as he rested.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Trooper Mitchell showed up at the jail early to finish his paperwork before the Judge arrived. He wasn't sure what time the Judge would be there but he wanted to make sure the rookie hadn't left anything out of the reports he had written. The Trooper was buzzed in the doors then went into the office. The senior Trooper had his priorities in line. The first thing he did was pour him a cup of coffee.

Danny nudged Frank who was trying to doze back off, "Something is happening. Trooper just came in."

Frank looked up. "Nah, he's just looking for a free cup of coffee. They said the Judge won't be here until at least four."

Trooper Mitchell set down on the back side of the desk. The jail officer that he'd asked to find out which females were with which males was on the front side of the desk. Mitchell was taking his portable breathalyzer readings and putting them with the right paperwork. "So did you find out who was out with whom last night?" 

"I did." The officer said. He pulled a small notepad from his shirt pocket. "I got the first names for ya." 

"That will work I can match the paperwork up by that." Trooper Mitchell said.

"Ok, here we go. The Danny guy was with Karen." The officer said.

Mitchell looked through the paperwork and layed the two sets of paperwork together. "Alright."

The officer continued, "Your friend Larry."

Mitchell gave him a hard look before the officer continued.

"Uhh, anyway, ..." The officer cleared his throat before continuing, "Larry was with Charlene. Get this she is a preacher's daughter."

"Interesting." Mitchell said as he put the other two files together.

"Then there is Frank and Jackie. Kid said they been dating awhile." The officer said.

Mitchell put those two files together. "So that leaves Roy and Peggy?"

"Right. The kid said he thought that Roy had heard some stuff about her and was trying to see if it was true." The officer said.

"Well from what I seen, it was true and he'd likely found out if I'd been a few more minutes getting there." Mitchell said as he began looking and the intoxilizer readings of the couples. The first two he looked at was those of Danny and Karen. Danny had just been over the limit, but Karen had blew the most of all the females and her reading was nearly as high as Larry's who had blew the most of the guys. Looking at the paperwork, Larry's date had blew the least of the girls. While the other four friends readings were all close to each other. Trooper Mitchell could see the preachers girl not drinking too much but what puzzled him was Danny. Mitchell couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to take advantage of the girl by getting her drunk to get what he wanted. "So when is the Judge coming in today?"

"He told us about four." The officer said.

"Alright, then I'm going to go grab something to eat and I'll be back." The Trooper said as he stood and threw his coffee cup in the trash.

"See you then." The officer said as he let the Trooper back out of the jail.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse made it back to the farm in time to get ready and head out to church with the others. Even feeling the effects of last night, Cooter, Mark and Jeb had managed to get the needed chores done with Bo helping as best he could.

Jesse looked around as the church service began. Other than Luke and Mr. Campbell attendance seemed to be normal.

After church, Jesse told the kids, "Ya'll can stick around here or wait out side Doc's office. I need to go check on Luke to see if he is ready to be taken home."

The group of young people decided to talk to friends while Jesse went over to Doc's office which was also his house.

Jesse managed to get to the gate just as Kim was topping the few steps.

"Come on in Mr. Duke. If Uncle Irving is right Luke should be ready to head home." Kim said.

"Fine, fine. That sounds good." Jesse said. He followed Kim into the office area of the clinic.

"Uncle Irving, we're here." Kim called out.

Irving came out of the room where Luke had been resting. "Jesse Luke is waking up now. He seems to be breathing better now and in far less pain."

Jesse nodded, "Thanks Doc."

Doc Applebee motioned Jesse into his office, "Luke should be fine. Like I said earlier, he needs to be restricted to his bed, couch, recliner, maybe the porch swing for at least a week, two would be better, to give those ribs time to start heeling. And, umm, ... Jesse, .. I ain't entirely sure but, if I were you, ... I'd stick pretty close if he had any friends of the, ummm, ... female persuasion come by to check on him." 

Jesse nodded. Yes, Doc had said a lot to the man without saying anything at all. Jesse shook his head at his nephew's carelessness. He couldn't believe, ... no, ... yes, he could believe it.

A short time later, Luke was awake and dressed thanks to some help from Kim. He couldn't understand his cousin's dislike of her. Sure she wasn't his type but he didn't see any reason to dislike her like Bo did. Luke felt better but was still feeling some of the effects of the medicine Doc gave him to knock him out. He felt just a little unsteady as he and Jesse made their way to the truck parked outside the small office. Luke was just getting in the truck when he noticed the unfamiliar van at the Courthouse. Before he could mention it he saw Ralph Green being taken out of the Courthouse to the van. "Uncle Jes, ... " Luke nodded toward the Courthouse.

As Jesse turned he saw what had caught Luke's attention. He saw that Ralph Green was still dressed in orange but it was different from the orange that Luke had been wearing when he'd been in jail with him. The officers escorting him wore unfamiliar uniforms. Ralph was chained up in enough cuffs and chains that he better hope the van didn't end up in the Hatchapee River or he'd sink for sure even if he got out of the van.

Luke saw Ralph wearing the belly chain and leg irons with the connecting chain ran between the two. Luke couldn't help the bit of satisfaction he felt, then he realized just how close he had come to joining Ralph on his ride. It was NOT a pleasant thought. Not a pleasant thought at ALL!

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please drop me a line or a few words to let me know how you like it so far.


	47. Facing the Family

Thanks to all you readers out there that have been faithfully reading and reviewing. I hope you like this chapter. At times the characters seemed as closed mouthed as Luke can be when he has something on his mind, but then again, several of these characters have a lot on their minds this Sunday afternoon! Enjoy! I'll try to get them to talk more and life to back off some for the next chapter!

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 47

Jesse checked the time and seen that he had just enough time to get Luke back to the farm before having to meet the Judge at the Courthouse for John. Jesse circled the square and motioned for Bo, Daisy and Jeb to get in. They all got in the back of the pick up to give Luke more room. As they got to the farm, Jesse noticed that what ever Doc gave Luke it must still be working cause Luke was napping. He woke Luke gently, "Luke."

Luke woke up still feeling the effects of the shot Doc had given him. Seeing they were at the farm Luke tried to wake up enough to get in the house.

Jesse and the others got him in the house and settled in the recliner before Jesse said, "I'll be back as quick as I can. Boys help Daisy with dinner and count on one more."

Jeb asked, "Can I go with you?"

"Son, we went through this already this morning. Now, help Daisy and Bo and I'll bring your Dad back with me." Jesse said.

Jeb didn't like it but he replied, "Yes, Sir."

Jesse hurried off to town so he would not be late. He was thankful, that for once the preacher had not gotten long winded today. As Jesse got out of the pickup he saw Judge Hardcastle coming from the other direction. They met at the courthouse steps.

Hardcastle frowned, "Jesse don't tell me that boy of yours is who I'm seeing this morning."

Jesse shook his head, "No, I'm not here for Luke this morning."

"Well, that is good. But, your other kids aren't old enough to be seeing me, so why are you here so early?" Judge Hardcastle asked.

"No, Bo is the next one but he won't be seventeen for a few days yet. I'm here for another Duke. My youngest brother, John from over in Placid County." Jesse explained.

"Well, let's get in there." Hardcastle said.

It didn't take long for the Judge to review John's file and have Rosco bring him up to the Courtroom to have his bond set. Jesse knew the look on his brother's face when he was brought in wearing the orange jumpsuit as well as the cuffs and leg irons.

Judge Hardcastle advised John of his right to an attorney and means to get one for the trial, then he continued, "You have been charged with Fighting and IF you plead or are found guilty you could be fined, jailed or both as follows - Fighting up to one hundred dollars or up to twelve months in jail."

John Duke had stood before a couple different Judges in his life in this courtroom and a couple more. He was sure he'd heard those same words more than once, but they just seemed to hit 'home' a little harder today. The fine he could handle without much problems, though he knew Pauline would give him at least a thousand ways it could have been spent better. He was also familiar with the 'up to' part of the Judge's statement, but that left a lot of grey between not going to jail and being locked up for a year.

"I'm setting bond at one hundred dollars. Are you prepared to make bond?" Hardcastle asked.

John hadn't planned to stay in Hazzard when he came over. Right now he knew he may have twenty bucks in his wallet.

As John turned to look at Jesse, Jesse was already reaching for his wallet. "I've got it."

Hardcastle advised, "From your file I see that you live in Placid County, so I'll not make it a part of your conditions of bond for you to stay in Hazzard County. Just don't change your residence without notifying the courts." Hardcastle frowned. "I see you want your court date information sent here in care of Jesse?"

"Yes, Sir." John replied.

Jesse paid the bail money and got the paperwork in order while John was taken back downstairs to change and get his belongings. As Jesse was leaving the Courtroom, John was coming back upstairs. Jesse waited until they got in the pickup truck before asking, "John David what in tarnation got into you? I can't imagine what possessed you to stop at The Boar's Nest of all places. Didn't you learn at about fifteen years ago that trouble finds you in them there places. There's still plenty of folks like Campbell around these parts that remember you and Traveler."

John let Jesse go on until he ran out of steam without even trying to get a word in edge wise to either agree or disagree with Jesse's points of the lecture. It had been years since he'd gotten a lecture like this from his oldest brother. John figured it was only polite to let Jesse rant and rave until he was finished.

"So tell me why you were there and don't go trying to pull the wool over my eyes." Jesse finished.

John had been awake most of the night thinking and Jesse had given him even more time to consider his truthful reply to Jesse. He thought it may sound a bit lame, but sometimes truth was stranger than any lie he could come up with. John took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "It's this pregnancy thing with Pauline, Jesse." He held up his hand to stop Jesse as he seen him ready to pounce on him without hearing the rest of what he had to say. "Look at first it was kind of an ego booster. Still being able to cut the mustard at my age and all. I felt that way with the twins too. Then reality set in with them when I seen the looks that Pauline and I got having newborn twins at our age. You know me, I've never given two hoots what people thought about me, but Jeb and Karen were mortified to say the least. I don't have a regret to one about the girls, Jesse, but I really don't want to go through all that again either. Then, you got to figure she could have twins again. Plus there is the facts, Pauline isn't getting any younger either. I guess this whole thing is just bothering me a bit more than I thought it would."

Jesse listened to his much younger brother talking about how old he was. Jesse just let him go right on and admit how big of a fool he was before he finally gave John 'the' look that said he was still waiting for his question to be answered.

"What?" John asked.

"I'm still waiting for you to answer my question. I'm not buying any of that horse hocky." Jesse said.

John frowned. It had been a long time since he'd had a talk like this with Jesse and he seemed to be getting better at it. "Jesse it's the truth. Call it a mid-life crisis or what every but I guess I was just feeling a bit too old, so ..."

"Now wait just a minute. First off, Papa was at least ten years older than you when you were born. You said the twins and this new baby if and that is **IF** Pauline is pregnant made you feel young, yet you just turned right around and said how old you feel. So now which is it?" Jesse said.

John let out a breath he'd been holding for sometime now. "Jesse it's both. Still being able to make a baby is one thing, ... having to spend the next eighteen years raising it is yet another."

Jesse rolled his eyes, before saying, "Seems to me, that you should have thought about that before you ever dropped your drawers."

John put his forehead in his hand. Leave it to Jesse to state the obvious!

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

After picking up John's truck at The Boar's Nest, Jesse and John headed out to the farm. By now Luke was awake. According to Daisy, who met Jesse at the truck, Luke had refused to take any of the pain meds Doc had sent him and was fussing about being 'grounded' to the recliner.

Once Jesse was in the house, Luke protested, "Uncle Jesse, ... what ever she, ... said, ..." He took a deep breath, "I didn't, ... do."

Jesse had the winning arguement, "Son, when you can argue with me in full sentences, I'll think about listening to you. Until then, you are there or in bed, that is unless you want me to call Doc so he can get you a bed at the clinic." Jesse said as he made his way to the kitchen to check on lunch and get two cups of coffee. He saw that Daisy had everything under control and should be ready to put the sandwich makings on the table for a late lunch.

Luke fumed but held his tounge so as not to voice the curse that had already started to form in his mouth.

John couldn't help the slight grin he sent his oldest nephew. John was relieved that at least he wasn't the only one in deep with Jesse. He took the seat on the couch closest to Luke, "Care if I join you in the 'dog house'?"

Luke knew how Jesse was with him and the other kids, but even he hadn't been present when his Uncle John had been on the wrong side of his Uncle Jesse. Luke gave John a bit of a confussed look.

John nodded and gave Luke a look that said he knew he was in hot water.

Bo and Jeb had been in the barn when John and Jesse pulled up. They finish with the barn and headed to the house. Jeb was first through the door. He couldn't help notice his father drop his eyes to the floor as he walked in. Bo and Jeb made their way to the fireplace harth and took a seat.

Jesse handed John a cup of coffee and took his own chair facing both John and Luke. Jesse was watching John silently and waiting.

Being that Jesse was the oldest of the brothers, he'd often taken care of the younger boys careless ways as they were growing. With John the youngest of the crew, he'd usually had to face Jesse usless it was really bad. Now most brothers would rather face their brothers when they had made a mistake, but most people didn't have Jesse Duke as an older brother either. John knew exactly what was expected of him once they got to the farm. In fact he'd spent most of the night trying to figure out just what to say to Jeb and the other boys to impress upon them how wrong his actions were and how poor his judgement had been while it was also impaired by the alcohol that he and Jesse drank followed by the beer at The Boar's Nest. He knew that not only did Jesse expect him to talk to the boys, but to call Pauline. Now that was a conversation he could go years without. It was already past time for lunch and his wife had no idea where he was. John knew the longer he put it off the worse things would be with her, but he felt that he owed it to his son who had seen him lead off in handcuffs the first explaination. He knew no amount of talking was going to sooth Pauline, so she could wait another couple of minutes. John took a drink of his coffee and began, "Jeb, boys, it is no secret that I spent the night in jail last night. Campbell and I go back to about Jr. High. We never did get along and always had trouble with each each other. I had been drinking. He said something that just didn't set well with me and before I thought about it he was on the floor. Yeah, I swung first."

Jesse looked straight at Luke, "Sounding familiar?"

"So does this mean, ... I have deal with Green, ... until I'm your age?" Luke asked.

Jesse replied, "That's your choice."

John continued, "Jesse's right and it looks like I made a poor one. Boys I could sit here and try to justify what I did all night long, but the truth of the matter is I was wrong. For starters, I never should have stopped by there to begin with, I knew better. I know that I can sit here and tell you until I'm blue in the face not to do exactly what I did, but none of you will listen to me or to your Uncle Jesse until you choose to." John said. "And I'm not going to tell you 'Do as I say, not as I do' either. I'm just not like that."

Jesse gave John a hard look, it wasn't exactly what he thought the boys needed to hear. He only added,

"See boys, there's always consequences to your actions. If you end up in the wrong, You've got to man up and admit it." Jesse was interupted by a ringing phone which was on the table beside him. "Duke Farm."

"Jesse, is John there?" Pauline asked.

Jesse knew by the tone of her voice that Pauline was not happy. "This is just one of those consequences, boys. John the phone is for you."

John felt his chest tighten even before he reached for the phone as he braced himself for what he knew was coming. He took a drink of coffee half wishing it were shine, before he said in what he hoped was a neutral tone, "Pauline."

Pauline was far more than just upset with John David, but she knew the phone lines of Hazzard County. "John DAVID Duke!"

John was certain everyone in the room heard his wife as she started out yelling at him. "Now, Pauline, just let me talk, ..."

Pauline had more than a few things to say to her husband but didn't want to say them over the phone. "John DAVID, I don't intend to do THIS over the phone. I need you here, NOW. In fact I'll meet you IN town at 4 pm SHARP. NO excuses."

John looked at the time, "Pauline it is two-thirty. I could bust every speed limit from here to Placid and NOT be there by four. What is SO important I meet you in town by four?"

"NeverMIND, John DAVID! Just get here!" Pauline ordered.

Daisy could hear John's end of the conversation and began making him a sandwich with a little bit of everything on it. She had heard the jail breakfasts were barely edible.

Feeling much like a whipped pup, John replied, "I'll try, but no promises."

"Just GET HERE!" Pauline yelled.

John hung the phone up, knowing that the family hadn't missed a word of either side of his conversation. "Sorry ya'll, but I've got to go. Jeb you listen to what Jesse tells you. I'll be back soon." John knew he'd have to come back for court shortly.

Daisy hurried to her Uncle, "Uncle John you can't leave without lunch. I fixed you a sandwich to hold you over to supper time."

John shook his head, "Thanks Daisy. I may be gettin' bread and water for supper." He hugged his niece and then his son. "I'll talk to you all soon." John hated to head back to Placid in such a rush without knowing why he was so needed back home. Though he dreaded the fight that was sure to follow any talk he hoped to have, John knew that Pauline needed him on town for a reason. Though he couldn't imagine what could possibly be open in Placid on a Sunday. He would now skip his stop in Hatchapee today since nothing would be open today. He'd just have to slip off tomorrow at some point.

01~~~~~~~~~01

At the Placid jail the time was passing all to quick yet dragging on also. Karen looked at the clock and then to Jackie, "So what happens now?"

Jackie shrugged, "Best I know is we go before the Judge and if our parents or someone is there they can post a bond or sign for us. Then we can go home."

"Think I might rather be here than home." Karen said. "You mean that they will call us out one at a time?"

Jackie replied, "Considering that we all are charged with the same thing. I just don't know."

01~~~~~~~~01

Pauline Duke had very much wanted to know why John David was in Hazzard and had not come home last night but she didn't want all of Hazzard to know their business. It was bad enough that John's family knew more than she did about what was going on. She knew that it was a good four hour drive from Jesse's to their home as she drove. Pauline knew that even in a pickup that John David could beat that time with ease and town was twenty minutes away. If John David knew what was good for him then he had better make it to town so that she'd not have to take the twins in to Courthouse to get Karen.

Though Pauline was upset with Karen, she did not want to miss her chance to get her daughter home where she could get to the bottom of what had happened last night. So Pauline had gotten ready then dressed Emily and Emma, fixed a diaper bag, bottles and buckleted them into their infant carriers. In total it took her three trips to get everything in the car that she needed for the twenty minute drive to town. She hoped that John David's ears were burning with all the fusing and fuming that she had done since briefly talking to him at Jesse's.

Pauline pulled up outside the Courthouse just before four o'clock. There was no sign of John David's truck. She began tucking a couple bottles and diapers into the girls infant carriers. After getting them both unbuckled she took Emily in one hand and Emma in the other. They were beginning to get too big for her to take both girls, car seat and all in one trip. Pauline hoped that she didn't have to go far once inside the Courthouse.

Inside a young Deputy who must have been the bailiff seen Pauline with the girls. He offered to show Pauline to the right location and took Emma to lighten Paulilne's load.

Pauline walked into the Courtroom and set Emily down, then took Emma and set her down on the otherside of her. She thanked the young man for his assistance and took her seat. Looking around she saw several faces that she knew from Karen's school including Reverand and Mrs. Murphy who were setting closer to the front. Well, at least her child wasn't the only one in trouble today.

Judge Hardcastle went into his chambers in Placid County just after four o'clock. It had been the best he could do coming from Hazzard to get there that early. He had seen the Deputy out front and sent him to the local diner for a couple hot dogs to swallow while he read the files. As he read the names on the files he couldn't help but notice that one name just kept showing up this weekend. Twice in Hazzard and now here in Placid he would be dealing with a Duke.

By four thirty Hardcastle had finished his hot dogs and seen that all the eight young people had been charged with exactly the same charges. He hoped to make this as simple as he possibly could for everyone concerned. "Deputy." Hardcastle called to Deputy just outside the door. "Are the Troopers here and does everyone have family waiting?"

"Yes, the Troopers are here and there is a group out there Sir, but I'm not sure who they are all for." The Deputy said.

"Alright find out if they all have someone out front and then go asked them if they have any objections to being seen at the same time." Hardcastle instructed.

01~~~~~~~01

John Duke wasn't by any means scared of his wife, but he had known her a long time and he knew her tone on the phone. Something was up and she needed him in Tranquil so John was intent on getting there. So intent in fact that he wasn't watching his rear view mirrors like any self respecting Duke did. John had chosen the most direct route as he hoped to get to Tranquil by four o'clock as his wife had pretty much demanded of him.

Just as John started down a section of Hatch**a**pee backroads he felt the car behind him before he even seen or heard it. In that brief second John swore as he now checked hos rear view mirror. None other than Sheriff Emmitt 'Spike' Loomis. John knew this not only wasn't his day, it hadn't been his week either.

John's truck was nothing to sneeze at. He knew the truck and the powerful Mopar engine under the hood. John also knew that had it been about eighteen years ago that he would have ran the Sheriff just because he could have. Today though he had no reason not to stop for the Sheriff and he figured that he was in enough hot water already. John did the responsible, grown up thing to do and pulled over for the Sheriff.

Sheriff Loomis really hadn't expected the truck to pull over for him as he pulled off the road way in behind the pick up truck. 'Spike' Loomis just 'knew' as soon as he seen the vehicle coming his way at such break neck speed on this particular section of road that the vehicle had to have moonshine in it. Once he'd gotten behind it he see that the bed was still riding too high to appear that the truck had a load of liquor in it. The driver must have been running over load shocks. Loomis unsnapped his holster as he got out of the cruiser with his right hand on the pistol and his imfamous spike in his left.

John had one last hope that there was a Deputy in that patrol car, not the Counties notorious Sheriff. Glancing back he recognized Loomis from his days of running shine. John knew that if he recognized the Sheriff that Loomis was sure to know him just as soon as he checked his drivers license. From some where deep inside John heard an inner voice say, _'You knew better than to stop.'_

Loomis approached the truck and noticed a tarp in the bed of the truck covering something that could be cases of moonshine, "Turn the engine off and get out of the truck."

John did as he was told, but wondered where the normal, _'Driver's license, registration and insurance.' _phase had gone to. No sooner had John stepped out of the truck he felt himself being put against the side of the truck a little rougher than neccessary.

"Keep your hands where I can see them. Use one hand and give me your license." the Sheriff instructed.

John replied, "They are stuck over the sunvisor on the drivers side."

Spike quickly patted John down, finding nothing more than the dull 'butter cutter' of a pocket knife he had carried for years. He layed it on the hood well out of the reach of John. Taking his handcuffs out he promptly cuffed the man.

"Now Sheriff just wait a minute here. You could at least tell me why I'm being arrested." John said trying to be as polite as he could be under the circumstances.

The Sheriff replied as he now reahed for John's drivers license, "You're not being arrested, yet. Only detained until my Deputies can get out here and we fine that shine you're hauling, Mr. Duke. Duke, you ain't one of them Dukes from over in Hazzard are you?"

John frowned. The man had said the name like it was a bad taste in him mouth. John could have answered honestly that he was from Placid and his driver's license would have confirmed it, but the Duke pride wouldn't take being talked down to. He replied just as the other patrol car showed up, "I used to be from Hazzard. I live in Placid now."

Sheriff Loomis smiled wildly as he told his men, "We got us one of them no account moonshining Dukes from over in Hazzard County. Ain't no respectable man runs this here stretch of road on a Sunday."

John was late, he knew it, now he was hot and it had nothing to do with the ninety plus temperatures. The mouth that Jesse Duke has washed out with lye soap on many occassions sprung to life, "So why are you out here Sheeriff?" John pushed. He was legal and he knew it.

Spike Loomis, "Boys take it appart until you find look in every place you can hide the two drops of moonshine it take to convict Duke of transporting illegal whisky across County lines." Loomis himself pulled back the tarp in the back of the truck just knowing he'd find moonshine there. What he found was eight boxes of jars marked "Mason" on them. "Boys we just hit the Mother load."

John swore!

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Take a few seconds and drop me a line! Thanks, ya'll!


	48. Waiting, Delays, and More Waiting

This is a short chapter to get everyone to the fireworks that are sure to come! Thanks for continuing to read and review!

Chapter 48

Jesse Duke shook his head after watching John leave. He knew his brother would try to make up time getting to Placid County. After lunch, Jesse, Jeb and Bo finished up what few things that needed done on a Sunday around the farm.

That had left Daisy to keep an eye on her stubborn older cousin. She'd seen Luke trying to get comfortable, but could tell he was hurting, "Luke Doc sent that medicine to help you get better faster. Let me get you one."

"I'm alright." Luke said unconvincing. "What he sent, ... will only knock me out... Jesse will likely bring something in." Luke was talking a bit better but was still a little short of breath when trying to talk.

Daisy fussed under her breath as she went back to check on supper.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

The Placid County Deputy made his way to the court room and made sure that each of the young adults had someone there, then he proceeded to the jail area to see if any of the arrestees had a problem with seeing the Judge together to speed up the process. Though they may have dreaded having to face their parents, it seemed they preferred that to staying behind bars while the others were seen. "Alright. I'll let the Judge know." The Deputy went to the back door of the Judge's chambers, "Judge everyone has family and they are all in agreement to seeing you together."

Hardcastle gave a slight grin. He just may be able to drown a few night crawlers today after all. "Good. Take the Troopers and get another Deputy to help you get them in the court room." He knew it would be a bit longer wait to get all the arrestees in the Courtroom together, but he'd make up for it by only having to explain things once.

The officers got the girls out of the cell first, placed them in handcuffs and leg irons, then did the same to the guys.

Pauline looked up as the side door of the court room opened. She watched as one officer came in followed by a young man dressed in black and white stripes, with hand cuffs and leg irons on. Looking closer she knew the young man had been in Karen's class all through school. A second, third and fourth young man followed him dressed exactly the same way. One young man she knew had played ball with Jeb. Another officer came in followed by Reverend Murphy's daughter, Charlene. She was dressed just as the young men were and was also wearing handcuffs. Pauline couldn't believe it! She just couldn't imagine what the girls parents were thinking right now seeing their daughter dressed so. Nor, could Pauline imagine what the girl had done to be dressed like a criminal. Before Pauline could think further, another from Karen's class came through the door dressed in the same fashion. Pauline's head was spinning trying to out why all these young people had been arrested. Before she could make any other conclusions, Karen was the next girl to enter the room, followed by a forth girl Pauline also recognized. They too were dressed just like the others and were also wearing chains.

Pauline was sure that had John David been there to catch her or if she hadn't had the twins that she would have fainted dead away. At this point she wouldn't even rule out the possibility of a coronary later today. She took out the folding fan from her pocket book and began fanning herself.

Karen glanced at the rather crowded courtroom. She knew the faces of her friends parents and turned beet red just thinking about all them hearing about what she had done. Then, her eyes briefly met those of her mother. _'Why is Mom here and not Daddy?'_ she asked herself silently as she concentrated hard on not tripping on the chain of the leg irons. She couldn't read Pauline's expression but knew that her Mother was not happy at all.

The Deputy said as the door to the Judge's chambers opened,

"All rise for the Honorable Milton C. Hardcastle."

Everyone rose until Hardcastle took his place on the bench. Hardcastle signed that they could be seated. He opened the files before him and began, "This is an arraignment proceeding. I will start off by reading your rights, then your charges with the possible penalties for those charges if you should be found or plead guilty. Each of you have the right to an attorney" He continued by telling the young people the rest of their rights. Then he said, "Since each of you have been charged with the same charges and the circumstances were so similar I have given you the opportunity to have this hearing together. Are there any objections at this time?"

Each of the group exchanged looks between themselves. A couple glanced back at their parents. Finally Roy spoke up, "No, Sir."

"Before we get into the charges, Trooper Mitchell can you tell me the circumstances surrounding this arrest?" Hardcastle asked, though he had read the complaints.

Trooper Mitchell stood up and began, "Myself and Trooper Anderson were making routine patrols through Placid County. We saw a primer black pickup truck at one of the wide spots at the lake. When we went to check it out I noticed an open cooler with beer bottles in it. Then we seen the couples were less than dressed. After getting everyone together with their clothes back at the vehicles we checked ID's and did portable breathalyzer tests. The group were all over 18 and under 21 which is the legal drinking age in this County and all had been drinking to some extent."

There seemed to be several appalled parents in the Courtroom as the Trooper gave his statement. Pauline was now certain that she would have passed out cold if only John David had been there to catch her. She fanned herself a bit faster hoping to fan away her embarrassment and blush from her face.

Hardcastle looked at the files, then asked, "Would you mind reading the PBT results for the families?"

Trooper Mitchell started with the lowest reading which was Charlene's, then Danny's, until he got to the highest Karen's and Larry's.

Pauline wasn't all that familiar with such readings but knew enough to know two things: Karen had not just had one beer and her reading was right near the top of the list for the highest readings.

After a minute of so for the provided information to sink in Hardcastle continued, "You have been charged with the following charges and IF you plead or are found guilty you could be fined, jailed or both as follows: Underage Drinking, a fine of up to five hundred dollars and / or up to seventy-two hours in jail."

Karen couldn't believe her ears. She never thought that she'd get in that much trouble by drinking a few beers. It wasn't as if she was going to drive or anything. She heard one of the other girls sniffle a bit and knew she was crying. That wasn't something that Karen wanted to do in front of all these people.

After giving the first charge's penalties he paused. Now he said, "You all have also been charged with Indecent Exposure. According to the reports the circumstances fit this section of State Code, where as you all were

intentionally exposing yourselves to another person and the exposure was done for the purpose of sexual gratification, therefore the penalties if found or plead guilty would be

a fine of up to five hundred dollars and / or up to twelve months in jail." Hardcastle seen the looks between the young people and heard the mummering of quiet conversation by the parents of the young people.

Pauline must not have heard right. Surely HER daughter couldn't have done anything to possibly have to serve time in jail! That was just ridiculous to think about. She must have misunderstood something.

Hardcastle continued, "I'm setting bail at one hundred dollars. If you are prepared to make bond for any of these young people see the Bailiff?"

Being up front Reverend Murphy stepped up and paid Charlene's bond. Pauline had the twins and though they were asleep she didn't want to leave them to wait in the line of the parents at the side desk. She figured that Karen would just have to wait a bit until the line cleared out.

Reverend Murphy motioned his wife out the back of the courtroom to wait where they had been instructed to while Charlene was taken to change and be released.

From Karen's view point she couldn't see the twins carriers on each side on her mother in the back of the room so she wasn't sure why her mother hadn't stepped up front yet. She watched as the sixth of her friends was taken to be released. All that remained was Frank's father and her Mother.

The Bailiff asked, "Next?"

Pauline motioned for Frank's father to go next.

The man stepped up to the Bailiff and spoke in hushed tones. Karen could only hear the last bit of the conversation. Frank's father said, "I understand. Thank you."

Karen was sure that her and Frank were the only two that heard the rest of the one-sided conversation.

Frank's father stepped over to where his son was seated, "Son, you got yourself into this. So, I think you can just stay here until court in about ten days. See if that 'piece of tail' was worth it." He turned and left the room.

Karen couldn't believe what she'd just seen and heard. She hoped that that was NOT what her mother was up to.

Frank was taken back over to the jail.

Just as Karen was starting to get really worried she heard a faint sound that she knew all too well. One of her baby sisters was waking up.

Pauline quickly picked up the infant, giving the other another look to insure that she was still asleep. Satisfied, she quickly hurried up front to the Bailiff. She handed the man the five twenties that had been folded up and put back obvious to Karen for another reason. "Sir, can you let me sign what you need me too. Once one is awake it's usually not long before the other wakes up."

The Bailiff remembered the lady having the twins when she came in. "Oh, yes, sure. Sign here. I'll bring the paperwork back in a couple minutes."

"Thank you." Pauline said.

Karen was taken back to where they had been changed out the night before. Once she had her things and was changed she was taken back by the cells, "Frank?"

Her friend's boyfriend had been returned to the cell and was currently laying on the bunk alone in the cell. He looked up as the last of his group was being released, leaving him alone. "It's alright."

"No, it's not. I'll talk to the others. We'll figure something out." Karen said.

Frank didn't see it happening, but replied, "Thanks."

The Bailiff took Pauline the her copy of the bond papers and helped her get the twins out to the hallway where Karen would be released to anytime.

Pauline said, "Thanks. They can be a bit of a hand full when I'm alone."

The Bailiff started to ask if they were her daughter's babies, but thought better of it as the door to the jail section opened and Karen stepped outside it.

"Mother." Karen barely whispered.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Quickly opening the boxes they found eight cases of empty Mason jars. "So we caught you going to fill up?"

John replied, "No."

"So what are all these jars for?" The Sheriff asked.

"My hot peppers, pickles, pickled corn and dilly beans. I make a bunch of each every year and share with family and friends. Then, no one returns my jars. I caught them on sale and bought a bunch."

"Likely story. Boys take it apart." Loomis ordered.

No matter how long it took the Deputies to search the vehicle it was more time that John was loosing as he stood there handcuffed watching his truck be taken apart.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please drop a couple words my way. Thanks again. Reposted after catching a few omitted words.


	49. Coming Home

Vector 426 – Thanks again for your continued reading and reviews. You are right. Pauline has about had all she can take. Looks like Frank's dad is trying to teach him a lesson. Nope, John can't win! Understand all about work and life, sure does get in the way of 'vacation' time to Hazzard! Thanks again for reading.

And, thanks to everyone else who continues to read and review!

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Chapter 49

It was nearly six o'clock when the transport van carrying Ralph Green pulled up to the outer gate of Tri-Counties Jail. The officer hit a call button and the intimidating gate with lots of razor wire slide open. The van pulled inside. Ralph saw the gate close behind them and yet another gate in front of them which was just as intimidating and had just as much razor wire on top of it. Only after the outer gate was shut, did the inner gate open. The officers parked in spot near the small door. Ralph watched as they checked their weapons in a weapons box then came to the van to get him.

Even if Ralph had thought that he could have taken not one of the men but both while chained up like he was, after seeing all the high fences and razor wire, he would have changed his mind. This didn't look like a jail, in fact it looked to have more razor wire than some prisons that he'd been by.

They took Ralph through the first metal door, through a barred door and through a third solid metal door. he was taken into a booking area where he was searched, showered and issued a black and white striped change of clothes.

After getting all the needed information he was taken downstairs to a large cell that had four sets of steel bunk beds, two steel pinic style tables and benches, a shower / toilet area, a tv, and a phone that he could only use during certain hours for collect calls. He was issued a thin fire resistant mattress, a pillow made from the same material, a wool blanket, two sheets, a pillow case, two towels, a wash cloth, a toothbrush, a travel size toothpaste, a travel size combination body wash and shampoo, and a travel size deodorant.

In the cell were four other men which meant Ralph would be sleeping on a top bunk. He took one that at least had a wall beside it so there was only one side of the narrow bunk that he could fall off of.

Ralph was just getting his bearings when what sounded like something with wheels could be heard coming down the outer hallway. He noticed everyone else making their way to the table. Five disposable cups of kool aid were placed in the bars of the cell, five fork and spoon combinations were tossed on the table, and five disposable trays were slide inside the cell. The trays had a large helping on imitation butter, cornbread, macaroni mixed with what had to be soy burger and various other ingredients. The dish Ralph later learned was what was called Chili Mac. Soon another cart arrived and put five disposable cups of coffee. One thing was sure after taking only a bite of this food. If he had thought the food that the Sheriff had been bringing to the jail in Hazzard County was bad, then this stuff was not even editable.

One of the other men saw him, obviously not happy with the meal, "How long are you going to be here?"

Ralph had gotten credit for a couple of days in Hazzard County, "The remainder of ninety days."

"Piece of advice. If you don't like this stuff, you're gonna be pretty hungry when you get out of here. Somethings are worse, not many are gonna be any better."

Ralph nodded and took another bite of the food. It was going to be a long ninety days.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Pauline did not want to have anymore talk than there already would be about her family. She simply said, "Get your sister." Pauline took Emily and headed out of the courthouse.

The Bailiff that had been still in the hallway was glad that he hadn't asked the older woman if the girls were her grandchildren. If he hadn't have seen it he wouldn't have believed that a woman old enough to have a daughter arrested would have **twins** that age. _'Why would people start over like that once their kids were nearly grown?'_ he wondered to himself.

Karen wisely took Emma and followed her mother to the car.

All the way home neither chanced starting a conversation with each other. Karen was hoping if not praying that her Daddy would be home to referee. Those hopes were shattered as they pulled up to the house. Her Daddy's truck was no where in sight. Other than church, her parents usually never went to many places on Sunday, except to visit her Mother's family, but Karen knew her father would not have gone there visiting without her mother.

Still silence, Mother and daughter each took a twin and supplies into the house. The awkward silence remained as each changed and began feeding one of the twins.

Karen knew once this 'conversation' began it was likely to get loud which was something her Mother never allowed with the twins anywhere nearby.

Pauline was doing her best to hold what little composure that she had left intact. First things first, the twins; then, Karen; and finally, John David that was once he decided to show himself at home.

01~~~~~~~~01

Two hours later John Duke was still handcuffed as the Deputies were still looking in every nook and cranny of his beloved truck. Other than the empty Mason jars, they had found absolutely nothing to anyway link him to moonshining.

The first Deputy stopped, wiped the sweat from his brow then went to the Sheriff as the second Deputy was trying to figure out somewhere else to search. The first Deputy said, "Sheriff it's clean."

Loomis had watched their efforts and he couldn't think of anywhere they hadn't looked. The bench seat was on the side of the road with the carpet, headliner, tool boxes. Sheriff Loomis didn't like not finding what he was looking for when he 'knew' he had a moonshiner in his grasps. He reached for his ticket book in his car and began to write a citation for speeding and reckless driving. He didn't get the arrest he wanted but the ticket would bring some of the ill gained money the man before him was making from his moonshining. Loomis walked over to the pickup truck, took out his railroad spike that he carried and put the ticket on the hood of the truck held there by the spike through the hood of the truck as a reminder. He then uncuffed John, "That's a reminder for all you moonshining Dukes. I won't tolerate moonshine in my County." He got in his car and sped off.

The Deputies started towards their cars also when John said, "Hold it fellas. This is NOT how you found my truck."

The Deputies were used to people they cut loose like this just being so happy that they had not been arrested that were more than happy to put their own vehicle back together.

John Duke had nothing to hide in the truck, they had already been through it with a fine toothed comb. He also knew the laws. It was a matter of principle that John had them put the truck back together just like they found it. Minus, of course, the hole in his hood. But that was alright, he'd take that one up with his wife that had been so intent on him making a four hour trip in an hour and a half. Well, it was a sure thing he'd not make Tranquil by four. It was nearly six thirty by the time John got back on the road toward home.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

As dinner wound down in Hazzard at the Duke farm, Jesse poured him a cup of coffee and headed to his chair in the living room. Normally, he would have went to the front porch, but not this evening. He took the seat across from where Luke was at, "Feeling any better?"

"I'll be alright." Luke replied. He hoped his uncle wasn't going to try to corner him about how he'd managed to break the cracked ribs.

"Daisy tells me you haven't taken any of the medication Doc gave you." Jesse said.

Luke breathed as deeply as he could before he replied, "If it was something to speed up the heeling, ... I would. That stuff is only for pain ... It will just knock me out."

Jesse understood Luke's logic. "Alright. You seem to be breathing easier and not as short of breath as you were earlier. I'll go out to the barn in a spell and get you something for tonight."

"Thanks, Uncle Jesse." Luke said.

Jesse then reached for the phone, "Get me an outside line over in Placid County, please."

Maybelle smiled, "Alright Mr. Duke hold on."

Jesse had been wondering for the past several hours just what had been urgent enough for Pauline to insist that John get home so quickly. He felt he needed to call and check on everyone.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

By the time that Pauline, Karen and the girls got home, the twins had been changed, fed, and put back down, dinner was already late and hadn't even been started yet. Pauline and Karen still had not spoke to each other as Pauline went to the pantry. She took a jar of canned corn and one canned shelly beans back to the kitchen. After putting them in pots to heat she took out a package of meat wrapped in butcher paper that John David had labeled cubed steak. Pauline knew that since John David had already tenderized the steak it would be a quick and tasty meal.

The meal was ready to serve and still there was no sign of John David. Pauline was having mixed feelings, part of her was furious with her husband, yet part of her was beginning to worry about him. The longer she waited the more she wanted to yell at Karen, yell at John David or just sit down and have a good cry. That was the emotion that worried her most. She never felt like that. Well, almost never felt like that. The last time she had felt so overwhelmed that all she could do was cry was just before she had found out that she was pregnant with the twins. _'Oh, God. I can't even think about __**that**__ right now.'_ Pauline thought as she put the dishes on the table just as the phone rang. She said a silent prayer, _'Please let John David be alright.'_ "Duke farm." she said as she held her breath. _'No news is good news.'_ and _'Look for me when you see me coming.'_ She remembered those pieces of advice from John David from earlier years of their marriage.

"Pauline did John get home alright and are the kids alright?" Jesse asked the concern showing in voice.

"The kids are fine Jesse. When did John David leave there?" Pauline actually hoped he'd gotten side tracked and didn't leave as soon as she had asked.

Jesse replied, "No more than five minutes after he got off the phone with you."

"I see. That was about two thirty. I can make the drive here in four hours. We both know that John David can do it much quicker." Pauline said checking the clock. It was now nearly seven thirty. She added, "John David isn't home yet, Jesse."

"He's not there yet?" Jesse asked as he began running possibilities through his mind, "Pauline, he could have had a flat, broken down, anything."

"Jesse he keeps that truck in top shape, carries two spares, which I have never understood and is a fair shade tree mechanic." Pauline reminded Jesse.

Jesse knew she was right. "Alright if he's not there in an hour I'll head out and see if I can track him down, but you have him call me as soon as he gets there so I ain't out all night on goat paths."

"Thanks Jesse." Pauline said. Talking to Jesse made her feel better, but also worried her more.

01~~~~~~~01

Jeb had come into the living room as Jesse was obviously talking to his Mother and bout his Dad. "Is something wrong Uncle Jesse?"

"I don't think so. Your father is just a bit late. I told you mother if he's not back in an hour I'll go looking for him." Jesse said as he took a drink of coffee.

Jeb said, "He left at two thirty for a four hour drive like Mom drives it. It never has taken Dad five hours. If you go looking for him, I want to go along."

Jesse had no idea what he'd find or where he'd find John. He could have had trouble with the truck or for all Jesse knew he could be layed out at a still site, though he doubted the latter due to the urgency that John had left in. "Alright, Jeb, but let's just hope that neither of us has to head out looking for him."

01~~~~~~~~~~01

In Placid, Karen had tried to do everything she coud to help her mother, either with the twins or the dinner. She had set the table without being asked to, been there to get Emily or Emma when they woke up so the her Mother could continue to cook without being interrupted. The gestures were by no means selfless. Karen knew something was up with her Father not being home, plus with the events of last night, she knew that once the flood gates her mother was trying to contain opened it would not be good. She wanted, no needed to call the others about Frank, but the phone was always the first thing to be taken when she was punished. Though she hadn't actually been told, yet, that she was grounded, there was really no question about that in her mind.

Pauline was sitting at the table watching the meal get cold as she took a drink of coffee. Looking up and the clock she saw it was nearly eight thirty. Just as she was about to give up on John David and reached for the phone, as she heard the familiar sound of her husband's truck. "Thank God." she said as her hand had made it's way automatically to her stomach.

John felt both relief and dread as he shut the engine off to his truck. Taking one moment just for himself he took in a long breath, held it, then slowly let it out. As he opened the truck door he reminded himself that three of his daughters were in the house that he was about to go into and that he and Pauline always made a point of not arguing in front of the kids. That may just be the one thing that would keep him alive a bit longer.

Pauline never moved from her place at the table when she heard the truck shut off. She remained seated with the untouched now cold meal before her. She knew Karen was avoiding her, that was fine.

John went in the backdoor as he usually did. The kitchen was empty as he entered, that could be good or bad. He stopped long enough to take out a coffee cup and fill it before stepping into the dining room. He seen Pauline tense as he stepped in the doorway, though she never looked up from her own coffee.

Without looking up, Pauline said, "Call your brother."

"Jesse? Why?" John asked.

With great effort Pauline controlled her voice, "Because he called an **hour** ago to make sure you got home alright. He's likely getting ready to head out looking for you as we speak."

John swore to himself as he picked up the phone. Once the connection was made John waited for Jesse to pick up.

"Duke farm." Jesse said.

"Jesse, John." John said.

Jesse began in true big brother fashion, "John David Duke where in tarnation have you been? Are you alright?"

John smiled just a bit. Jesse would always be his big brother no matter how old either of them were. Jesse never used his full name unless he was in deep trouble. John said, "Yes, I'm fine. I just got in."

Jesse did the math, six hours for at worst a four hour drive, "You left here at two thirty."

"Yes, I did leave there at two thirty." John said for Pauline's benefit. "And, yes I know it's now eight thirty. I can explain everything but if you don't mind, I think I need to explain it here first. Can I call you back tomorrow?"

Jesse was mainly concerned with John's safety and if he said he was alright then he must have a good reason for being over due. "Well, umm, yeah. As long as you are alright."

"I'm fine, at least for right now, anyway." John said.

Jesse heard the tone John used and knew that by the time he explained things to his wife he may NOT be alright. "Alright, but I expect to hear from you tomorrow."

"You will. Tell Jeb I'm fine." John concluded.

"I will. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Jesse said as he hung up the phone. He looked up to see Jeb watching him, "Your father is home and is fine. He said he'll call tomorrow to explain things. Right now I think your mother is waiting for her explanation of last night and today."

"Oh brother. That should be fun for Dad. Thanks Uncle Jesse." Jeb said as he went back to the porch.

John hung up the phone. He knew the meal before him was cold if it had been there since dinner time. He also knew that not eating it and liking it would only dig his hole deeper. He went to the kitchen and came back with bread and mayonnaise. As he started to take his seat he asked, "Where's Karen?" They always ate together if kids were home.

Pauline replied, "The living room last time I looked."

"Alright, after we eat, she can watch the girls so we can take a drive." John said as he turned to call Karen to the table.

Pauline stopped him in mid movement, "You better make sure that she is **sober** and **can** keep her clothes on long enough for us to go for drive."

John turned back to his wife, "What **are **you talking about?" 

"Well **had you ****bothered** to have gotten here by four like I asked you to you would have known what I'm talking about." Pauline said as she turned to dig something out of her purse. She tossed out two sheets of papers toward her husband.

John knew that color green of the papers his wife had just tossed him. In fact he had one the very same color in his own wallet from the Hazzard County Judge. John opened the folded papers and there was no doubt that it was copies of jail release forms from Placid County. He looked down and seen the name of the released. Karen Ann Duke. He looked at the charges section and seen the first one was for the charge of Under Age Drinking. Ok. She was a Duke after all. He wasn't happy that she'd gotten caught but she could have been out doing a lot worse. He'd take care of this - no problem.

John then switched to the next page, again Karen Ann Duke, then the charge of Indecent Exposure. John looked up at Pauline, "Ok so she was out drinking and the caught her taking a pee?" If that was the case he'd have a nice LONG talk with her.

"From what I gather, John, she was out drinking with a bunch of classmates. I recognized most of them or their parents from school." Pauline began.

Pauline had cut his name short. That was just as bad as Jesse using his full name.

"It seems they were at the lake, drinking and in various forms of undress." Pauline continued. "I counted four boys and four girls. Care to draw your own conclusions from that?"

John layed the paperwork down, "No, I prefer to hear it from our daughter." Then a bit louder, "Karen. Can you come in here please?"

Karen was glad that she now had Emma, "Sure Daddy." She said as she walked in carrying a fully awake Emma.

Pauline reached out for Emma, "I'll take her."

Karen swore to herself as her mother took her baby sister.

Once Pauline had Emma, John asked, "Care to explain these?"

Karen was being put in the same spot with her father that his brother had just put him into. "Daddy, we went to the movies, ..."

John had forgotten that he had told his daughter that she could go out with someone his wife had disapproved of. "Who is 'we'?" He asked.

"Well, Charlene, Peggy, Jackie, ... Then there was, ..." She looked up. Her Mother was still nearby, so she whispered, "Danny, but you told me I could go out with him, ..."

"I may have said you could go out with him, but nothing in that said that you could drink or be undressed with him." John said sternly.

Pauline looked over at her daughter and husband. He had actually allowed her to go out with the very same young man that she had disapproved of. That was one more thing on her list to talk to her husband about once they were alone.

John seen Karen wasn't going to offer any information, "Exactly how did this date at the movies progress to a party at the lake? And, don't try to tell me it was because everyone else was doing the same thing. It won't work. It never worked for me and it won't work for you."

"It wasn't exactly a party." Karen said. "When we came out of the movies it was hot and muggy. Someone suggested a swim." She stopped short as she almost said that everyone else was going so she had too.

"Weren't you supposed to go to Charlene's after the movies?" John asked.

Pauline couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Karen tried to sound innocent when she replied, "I did go with Charlene after the movies."

Pauline gave a tight nod of her head to indicate that Karen and Charlene had indeed been together.

John took another angle, "So since you were planning to spend the night with Charlene, you had your swin suit with you?"

Karen bit her bottom lip hard as she tried to think of a way around that question. Finally, she had to give her father an answer, "No, Daddy, not exactly."

Pauline was trying hard to let John handle this situation that he had obviously been a part of but was fast loosing patience, "WHAT?"

Karen looked from her father to her mother and back to her father for rescue. It wasn't coming. "See everyone was skinny dippin' and I went away from everyone to take off my shirt and jeans," She purposely didn't mention her underwear and hoped no one asked her out right. "I got in the lake away from where everyone else was."

Being a Duke and having been around the bend, John knew the game, "Then I suppose you met up with the others in that water?"

Karen blushed crimson. She knew that she had met up with one of the others in the water.

She was saved when John replied, "Never mind that. What was you drinking?"

"Beer." Karen replied honestly.

John nodded, "How many?"

Truthfully, Karen didn't know. "Daddy, I don't know. A few."

John seen that Pauline was ready to blow a gasket and likely would have if the twins weren't near by. John shook his head for a second in understanding before saying, "This isn't over with. Not by a long shot, but for now I want you to watch your sisters after dinner so your mother and I can take a ride. I hope I don't have to say," John looked at papers in his hand. There wasn't a court date on them, "That until this is settled you are grounded to the farm. No phone. No car. No friends over."

"I know Daddy." Karen said as she felt tears welling in her eyes. She could see the disappointment in her father's eyes.

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Please continue to read and review. Thanks.


	50. Explainations

Sorry for the delay in posting. Reviews and PM's help speed up posts!

Chapter 50

At the Murphy home, Mrs. Murphy was still mortified by what she had heard about her daughter's actions the night before. Her daughter had been drinking, unclothed and arrested the night before. She had learned that her daughter may very well indeed have to go back to jail. Mrs. Murphy just couldn't imagine what had gotten into her daughter, surely it had something to do with that Duke girl she had been hanging around.

"Charlene, you have one and only one chance to explain to your father and me what went on last night." Mrs. Murphy said.

Charlene wasn't sure what she was supposed to say to that, "What's there to explain that you didn't hear in court?"

Her father jumped in, "First off, were you drinking?"

"A little." Charlene replied.

"What was it that you were drinking?" He asked.

Charlene replied quietly, "Beer."

Reverend Murphy said, "Haven't I warned you of the evils of drinking?"

"Yes, Daddy." Charlene replied automatically.

"Now what was this about you being undressed for 'sexual gratification'?" Charlene's father asked.

Charlene replied, "We were just swimming, Daddy."

01~~~~~~~~~01

After the very late, cold dinner at the Duke farm in Placid County, John Duke picked up the keys to his wife's Chrysler. He said to Karen, "Clean up in here for your mother. We'll be back in awhile."

Karen nodded. She knew she was in too deep to argue about watching the girls and cleaning the house. "Yes, Daddy."

Pauline nearly did a double take. Usually Karen had something to say back to her about anything she was asked to do.

John put his hand on Pauline's waist as they started out to the car, only to have her pull away from him. It was clear that Karen, wasn't the only one in 'trouble' tonight, but John expected no less. He'd been there before and still managed to be here tonight. It had just been awhile since he was in this deep with his wife. John seen how the moon was nearly full so he headed up toward the lake. As he watched the sky, he figured that the next wide spot up by the lake would give them a good view of the moon and the lake even from the car, so John edged the car off the road way in the wide spot. The car should be only barely seen from the road the way he had managed to park. He shut the car's engine off as both adults heard the sound of the crickets and whippoorwills.

John reached out for his wife.

"Don't!" Pauline said firmly.

This may be a bit harder that John remembered. "Pauline, I'm sorry."

"Care to clarify that?" Pauline spat.

"Alright. Look. First off all this, well most of this is my fault. I know that, so you don't have to tell me that." John started. He felt like he had to go all the way back to the beginning to clear the air between Pauline and himself. "Secondly, I wasn't thinking about you havin' not seen Doc yet, until you told me. I was a bit too far gone to stop at that point, or care. Since then, you have been moody, unreasonable, ..."

Pauline had been quiet far too long, "John Dav-id DUKE, how dare you tell ME, that I've been unreasonable! It wasn't YOU who had to walk around big as a HOUSE carrying twins only a few months ago!"

"I know that. I also know that I told you the other night that another baby or two, would be fine with me, ..." John was again cut off.

"Fine with YOU. FINE! Well, MR. it had better be FAR more that FINE with YOU!" Pauline nearly yelled.

_'Oh, God.'_ John thought, _'She's already found out she IS pregnant, again.'_ The sensation of someone pouring ice water in his lap was John's reaction to THAT thought, "Pauline, Darlin', ..." John knew that now was NOT the time to tell her he'd been regretting the timing of their last love making session a lot more than he had indicated at the time.

"Don't you DARE, 'Pauline, Darlin'.' ME, John DAVID!" Pauline said loudly.

John was trying to think and was failing miserably. He'd went to talk to Jesse on Saturday. He knew she wouldn't have went to the Doctor with the twins and Karen was going out. Today was Sunday and Doc wasn't in on Sundays except for emergencies. "Pauline, have you been to see Doc yet?"

Pauline Duke wasn't one to cry, but right now she was so mad she couldn't help it. "I, ..." (sniff) "don't have, ..." (sniff) "ta, ... see, ..." (sniff) "Dooocccccc, ... to, ..." (sniff) "Kknnnooowwwwww." Pauline lost any and all control that she had so been trying to for far too long.

Somehow that knowledge made John feel a bit better, as he reached out for his wife. He took Pauline in his arms, pulled her onto his lap and just held her. John let her cry until his shirt was soaking wet. He knew it wasn't just the fact that she thought she could be or was pregnant. No, he knew it was far more. Twice in as many weeks he'd made her worry about where he was in the wee hours of the morning. Last night he hadn't made it home at all because he had felt the 'need' to prove something to that turnip brain. Then today she'd been ran through the mill with Karen, while all the while taking care of the twins. Then he got home over four hours later than she needed him too.

It was a long time in coming but John finally got Pauline calmed down, wiped her tears away, then kissed her deeply, "I'm sorry." John said again, then began kissing Pauline's tears away.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

In her parents absence, Karen made one quick phone call to Danny's house. She was glad that he picked up the phone, "Danny look, this is Karen. Do you know Frank's father left him in jail?"

Danny was surprised to here from Karen again, but again this soon, "I figured you would be grounded for life by now."

"I likely am, but no one else is home. Look if you and the others can do anything I got thirty bucks to help get him out. My bedroom is on the top floor, around back third window on the right. I got to go now or I'm dead if they get back home." Karen said quickly then hung up as Emma woke up. "Come on Emma let's get you a nice bath."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

In Hazzard, true to his word, Jesse brought a quart of moonshine when he came back int he house. He took his chair across from where Luke was in the recliner with his eyes closed. Jesse wasn't sure but he didn't think Luke was asleep as he sat watching his breathing. One thing was sure it was a far cry better that it had been that morning. "Luke." Jesse said easily.

Luke opened his eyes. "I'm awake, Uncle Jesse." He grimaced as he changed positions a bit.

"Here, son, this should make you feel a might better and get some rest." Jesse said.

"Thanks." Luke said as he sat up to take a healthy sip.

Jesse warned, "Go easy on that. It's to help you rest and take the pain, not for your enjoyment."

"Yes, Sir." Luke replied.

Jesse was glad that Luke was able to talk at least in short sentences now. It looked like his breathing had improved throughout the day. "The others are on the porch and should be in directly. Let me know if you need anything. I'll be up a spell."

Luke knew that meant that Jesse was heading to bed, likely to read his Bible, but would be available to any of 'his' kids who needed him. "Yes, Sir. Goodnight, ... Uncle Jesse."

"Night, Luke." Jesse said as he turned out the lamp on his table.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Trooper Anderson was driving through Placid County with Trooper Mitchell on patrol. "Any place you want to check out tonight?"

Mitchell replied, "You're driving."

Several minutes later the younger Trooper took a cut off the main road.

"This is the way to the lake. Why are we heading up there?" Mitchell asked.

Anderson replied, "The last time we went up here we got eight arrests."

To Mitchell's way of thinking they had only gotten a headache and a lot of paperwork, but replied, "All right."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Pauline stopped John. There was a few things he needed to answer for her. She had to know. "John David the other night you said you went to help Jesse, but where were you last night?"

John knew she wouldn't like the answer, but the truth was likely far better than anything her mind had been telling her all night. "Truth." John sighed, "I went to talk to Jesse. We met near the county line, talked for awhile and on my way home I stopped at the local bar there thinking that Jeb may be there."

"What? What do you mean that Jeb MAY be there. At a BAR? What on Earth would my boy be doing at a bar?" Pauline was off on another tangent.

John replied, "Daisy works there. You know that. I saw her car there and thought maybe Jeb may come by with Bo and Luke, ..."

"This is worse than I thought. Not only is Jeb going to bars, but going with Luke who just spent time in jail for fighting. John David you know that none of those kids are old enough to be in a bar. Luke may be eighteen but you see where it got him." Pauline ranted.

"Pauline the fight Luke was in wasn't even in the bar," John reminded, then continued, "I didn't say that Bo or Jeb ever showed up there. I said I stopped to see if they were there. While I was waiting to see if the boys showed up I was at the bar." John held up his hand to hush her. He knew without hearing from the that she didn't approve of him drinking. He wasn't in the mood for a lecture on the evils of alcohol. "As I was getting ready to leave, someone you may remember, noticed me. Steve Campbell."

"Steve? What was he doing in a place like that bar?" Pauline asked.

John didn't like Pauline referring to the man by only his first name. Sure they had all went to school at the same time, but it just seemed she knew him a little too well for John to like. "Seems he was there drinking and let his mouth run away with him." John stopped talking and reached for his wallet. He pulled out his bond papers from Hazzard County on the same shade of green paper that Pauline had handed him earlier. Without another word, John handed the paper to Pauline.

Pauline was almost wondering why John was handing her the paper from where Karen had been released from the Placid County jail earlier that day until she saw his name on the paperwork. She looked over to the other side and seen the charge of Fighting and that the paper was from Hazzard County. Shortening his name like she never did unless she was really ticked off, Pauline said, "What? What were you thinking John. I thought you grew out of ALL this about the time Jeb was born."

"I know. I thought I did too. But, really I wasn't thinking. I didn't have time to think. That, ... never mind, said something to me and the next thing I knew he was in the floor." John said.

Pauline looked shocked, "Are you telling me that you started it?"

"No, I'm telling you I finished it." John replied.

"From the sound of it John, the Sheriff finished it not you." Pauline huffed.

John didn't want to argue and he knew she was right, but also knew that this wouldn't be over until he saw the Judge.

Pauline looked mortified, "What will my family think?"

John could really care less what the Loftlins thought of him. Before he could reply, Pauline was at it again.

"Fighting! John I just can't believe you. It wasn't that long ago that Luke was spending **time** in jail for fighting. John, the kids and I and this farm depend on you." Pauline didn't want to voice her other thoughts for fear that they might just come true, but also needed to talk about her concerns, "John, Jeb is committed to helping Jesse this summer. You saw Karen's paperwork. Heaven forbid she would actually have to spent time in jail, but she could. If you go to jail, that will leave me home alone with the twins for who knows how long. Not to mention, who's gonna run this place? What if I am pregnant again?"

John had ran all those questions through his own mind and they were no easier to answer when Pauline asked them. "Pauline, I've been thinking about that all night. I'm not going to lie to you, I don't have all those answers right now. But, I do know one thing, we've made it together all these years and we'll make it through this too. Trust me, it will work out."

Pauline said in a tired voice, "John David, I'm just not sure I could get through all this alone."

John gave Pauline a smile that had won her over since he met her, "That's why I'm here. I'll make sure everything is taken care of. I promise." John worded that promise carefully. He didn't want to lie and say he would take care of everything, because the truth was, he may not be home to do so. He would do his best to see that everything would be taken care of if he wasn't there. John could hear Pauline starting to sob again and reached out for her.

Pauline let John take her in his arms.

After getting Pauline calmed down once again, John kissed his wife and nuzzled her neck.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Suggestions, comments, ideas are welcome. Thanks, Dixie


	51. Could Duke Luck be Changing?

Vector 426 - Well, if Pauline and John's encounter with the Troopers, Duke luck may just be changing! Could it get any worse? Umm, ... Don't answer that! Thanks for pointing out error about the jeep, I guess I get so used to seeing in shows I tend to slip up occasion when I go back in time. I have since corrected it. Thanks again.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Chapter 51

After an hour or so of patrol the Troopers neared the placed where they had found the teenagers parked. To the older Trooper's surprise, there was a vehicle parked there. This time it was a car.

John was smiling as he was buttoning his jeans.

"John David I don't understand you." Pauline said as she buttoned her blouse, "It was bad enough I'm worried about last time we, ..." She tried to straighten her blouse just as the lights hit the car window. Pauline gasped at the thought of getting caught out here by a neighbor after everything with Karen.

John being the Duke that he was merely hurried to stuff his shirt tail in his pants as the car stopped in the road blocking an easy exit from John's car. John 'knew' even before a booming voice said, "State Police. Get out of the car." John swore. He knew he'd never hear the end of this from Pauline. He reached slowly for the driver door handle as he looked over and seen that Pauline had crossed her arms and was glaring at him. "They mean you too."

"John David Duke! I have NEVER been so humiliated in ALL my life!" Pauline began to rant at him.

John really didn't want any trouble with the State officers so he had already popped his door and was in the process of slowing getting out of the car. He said over his shoulder, "Pauline, just do what you are told. Get out of the car slowly. We can argue at home." He hoped that she'd listen to him just once.

Pauline was more that fit to be tied. She only heard part of John's advice. _'Fine, that was fine, if they wanted her out of the car then she'd get out of the car.'_ She thought as she swung open the passengers side car door. Pauline asked as her feet hit the ground, "What is the meaning of THIS!

John was glad that the older trooper was on the side of the car with his wife of she might just have gotten shot.

The older Trooper was to Pauline before she finished the question and was ready to lay hands upon her if she offered any resistance. "Stop right there!" He said in a commanding voice.

The younger Trooper fearing that the woman may be a decoy to distract their attention had already unsnapped his weapons holster and had his hand on it ready to unholster if needed.

John grimaced. He knew Pauline and she didn't like to be talked to that way and usually tended to know care who she let know about if. He hoped tonight would be different.

Pauline was 'taken a back' for a split second, "How dare you talk to ME? that way. Don't you know WHO I am? Well, my family owned most of this County."

Trooper Mitchell gave the younger man 'a look' "Ma'am, I don't care about all that."

John tried to calm her down, "Pauline, Honey if you'd just hush these men could do their jobs."

"You don't care that if it weren't for my family this County wouldn't be here." Pauline barely came up for a breath as she turned to John, "Oh fiddlesticks! Their jobs. What on Earth could, ...

"LOOK! Ma'am, ..." Trooper Mitchell cut in, "Seeing a car up here at this time of night gives us EVERY reason to check it out."

Pauline was momentarily taken aback by the sharpness of the Trooper's tone.

John was torn between worrying that Pauline was about to get herself or them into deep crap and enjoying her being taken down a couple notches.

"I just need to see some identification." Trooper Mitchell.

"Identification! Of all things," She turned quickly and started for her purse.

Trooper Mitchell had over looked more than enough of the woman's behavior. Her quick motions back toward the car could mean that she was going for a weapon. He stepped in front of her, turned her back to the side of the car and put her against the car as gently as he could under the circumstances. "Ma'am! Just stop or I'm going to have to cuff you for both our safety." Trooper Mitchell had his hand on his handcuffs as he spoke.

John had wisely not moved. Any other man who would have handled Pauline like that would have surely bitten off more than he could chew, but John knew that she had brought it on herself. In fact, had he done half as much he was sure he'd already been in the back of the cruiser.

"You wouldn't DARE! John David are you going to just stand by and let him man-handle me like that?" Pauline asked nearly appalled that John hadn't lifted a finger to help her.

John replied, "Absolutely. As long as you keep it up I'm good with just watching. But if you had the sense the good Lord gave a goose, you'd stand still and shut up."

"Well I've NEVER!" Pauline huffed and stool silently glaring at her husband.

Trooper Anderson said, "Alright, Sir, can I see you ID?"

John said, "I'll have to reach in my right back pocket for my wallet."

"Go ahead." Anderson said.

John reached with one hand and got out his wallet slowly and slowly open the wallet and handed the Trooper his drivers license.

Trooper Anderson asked, "Where is her ID?"

"On the front seat. In her purse." John replied.

"Would you get her purse and get her ID out?" Trooper Mitchell asked.

John inwardly smiled, "Sure." He slowly reached for the purse, then did something he'd only did a handful of times since he'd known his wife. He opened the purse, got her wallet and tossed the purse back in the car. He opened the wallet and handed Pauline's license to Trooper Anderson.

Trooper Anderson went to the radio in the cruiser and radioed to see if either was wanted and to see if their driver's license were valid. He came back and reported, "They are good to go."

Trooper Mitchell nodded, "I've got to ask. What were you two doing out here this late on a Sunday night anyway?" Only then did he see their outfits were a bit in disarray.

John shot Pauline a look warning her to keep quiet. "My wife and I had some things to discuss and we have made a habit out of not arguing in front of our kids, so we came out here to talk. We were just getting ready to leave when you pulled in."

Trooper Mitchell replied, "Alright. Well, I expect you'll will be out here a bit longer now. Ya'll have a good night and try to teach your wife how to conduct herself when she is stopped by officers. She could really get hurt acting like she was. Good night Mr. Duke, Mrs. Duke."

After the Troopers got in their car and left, Pauline fumed, "What was all that crap about teach me how to conduct myself? I was conducting myself as a perfect lady."

John could not help himself, "Darlin' a perfect lady doesn't do what you were doing minutes before those Troopers showed up, ... married or not! But, I'm not complaining at ALL."

"John DAVID Duke! How dare you!" Pauline exclaimed.

"Get in the car Pauline." John said. Once in the car, "First off, you can't make quick, sudden movements like you were or officers take it as a threat. You are darned lucky you didn't find yourself helped out of the car, downed on the ground and cuffed before they even stopped to think about you being a woman. When you went to get your purse out of the car, you could have been going for a weapon or any number of things, that is why I was told to get your ID."

"That is just ridiculous. I am not a threat to anyone." Pauline said.

John replied, "It is just a good thing that the Trooper had a level head on him. Now, let's go home to the girls."

"Alright." Pauline agreed.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The next morning, was 'business' as normal, or almost at John Duke's house. John was up and ready to head out to work just as he heard the first twin awake. He stopped what he was doing and started to warm two bottles so they would be ready by the time Pauline got downstairs. He listened to make sure that Pauline was up before heading out the back door. After last night and the second round of unprotected sex with his wife who had yet to go see the Doctor, John was more than happy to just get out of the house without incident this morning.

After getting Pauline's brother and the other men started on what he needed them to do, John said that he had to go into town for some supplies. However, John didn't plan on stopping in Tranquil, in fact he was heading closer to Atlanta.

John's first errand was at the drugstore where he marched right in and went looking for the aisle that contained the home pregnancy tests. Once he located them, he was a bit overwhelmed that there were so many types and names of a product that did the same thing. After a couple minutes he stopped on that claimed, 99% accurate. That was close enough for John, because he knew his luck if Pauline was pregnant there would be NO doubt about any test she took.

01~~~~~~~~~01

Yes, I know this chapter is a bit short, but I plan to skip forward a bit in the next chapter and thought it fit better to break off here. - Thanks for the reviews and for reading. Enjoy.


	52. The Test

Thanks for reading and reviewing. Also thanks to JadedPhonenixBurning for helping with this chapter. Her additions are in **BOLD** print. Since I have a couple of her characters on loan, I needed help to form them in a way that wouldn't conflict with any of her ideas for past, present or future stories. Thanks again. DixieDavenport.

Chapter 52

John returned to the farm just before lunch. He checked in with the other men, then went to the house.

Pauline had been busy with the twins when she heard the truck pull back in. It was unusal for John David to show up before dinner time. Pauline's protectiveness kicked in and she met her husband at the back door. He appeared fine when he got out of the truck and for that Pauline was thankful. She called out even before he reached the porch, "John David? Is everyone alright?"

John realized that she must be thinking the worst and thinking that someone was hurt. "Everyone is alright. I've just been out doing errands this morning. I just got back so I thought I'd come by the house for lunch." He said as he walked up on the porch.

Pauline smiled, "You haven't done that in awhile. I'll go rustle you something up."

"Nevermind all that. I'll just tell Karen to watch the girls." John said as he took his wife's hand.

Pauline looked at him like he had two heads. Surely he wasn't coming home for 'that'.

Once they reached the top of the stairs John told Karen to watch the twins awhile as he kept heading toward his and Pauline's room.

Karen wasn't sure why her father was home at this time of day, but his tone of voice didn't leave room for argument. She wisely went to go tend her sisters.

Once in their bedroom, John locked the door. "Pauline, I know you that you don't want to go see Doc. I know that you haven't had a cycle since the twins have been born, but Sweetheart, I need you. Everytime we are together though, you get more and more worried. Then, the more you think about it and then you worry somemore, so when I walk in I'm the enemy. I don't want to be the enemy here."

**Pauline looked at John with a torrent of emotions running through her. On one hand, she wanted to be angry with John David for even bringing this up. On the other hand, she didn't want her husband to think that she thought of him as the enemy. **

**Finally, Pauline said, "I know I need to go. I reckon I've just been to scared to." **

"I know, Pauline. So, if you know that you aren't pregnant or that you are, would it make it easier for you to go talk to Doc?" John asked gently. He knew Pauline didn't want to even think about the possibility of being pregnant, but the possibility was there.

**Pauline eyed her husband and thought about what he was saying. She wanted to know, she just didn't think that she could handle the embarrassment of it all only a year after her last humiliating experience at the doctor's office. Eying John David she asked, "What do you have in mind?" **

John handed her the small bag that Pauline hadn't even noticed that he had been holding since he got out of the truck. John walked to the bed sit down and waited.

**Pauline opened the bag and looked inside only to see a over the counter pregnancy test inside. "John David! Oh my word! Do you have any idea what folks will think? You actually went into the store and bought one of theses things?" Pauline automatically thought to Caroline at the drugstore. If John David bought this thing, she would have been the one to ring him up. **

**Which means that half of the womens club at church was bound to know that either she or Karen was needing a pregnancy test.**

John looked at her like she had lost her mind. "Pauline relax. It wouldn't have bothered me to bought it up town but I knew it would you so I drove out of the County this morning, just to buy this for you."

**Pauline allowed herself to breath a slight sigh of relief. "Alright. I suppose that this is better than just waiting around for nature to take it's course." Pauline took the box out of the bag and started to read the instructions. She saw that John must have sprung for one of the better ones since it didn't say that she had to wait until the morning to take it. "I'll be right back."**

"I'm not going anywhere until we get this settled." John said. He had to admit to himself that at least part of him actually hoped the test was negative, but he was here for the long haul, so he'd take what he got. John also knew that test came back positive that he would likely not get back out to the guys anytime soon, unless he was thrown out, which just might be possible.

**Pauline headed off to the bathroom then read the instructions a second, then a third time to make sure she did everything right. When she was finished and went back to the bedroom she could she the obvious question in her husband's eyes. "The test takes ten minutes. We'll have to wait."**

John reached for his pocket watch, checked the time and put it away. "Alright so we wait. Come here." He patted the place on the bed beside him.

**Pauline sat beside her husband and wrung her hands. She didn't want to just sit here for ten minutes but if she went down to try to get her housework done, she'll likely be to nervous too do it anyway. Once on the bed, John David wrapped her in a hug which she welcomed. After all of this time, she was about to be given an answer to the questions that have haunted her since her's and John's first night where she knew better than to allow herself to be drawn to her incredibly sexy husband that always seemed to know just what buttons to push.**

After an incrediablly long few minutes of sitting silently together, John pulled out his watch. "Well, it's time. Just exactly what are we looking for to know one way or the other?"

**Pauline stood woodenly and walk toward the bathroom with John right beside her. "According to the box, if the test turns blue then I'm pregnant. Otherwise, we're in the clear."**

"That sounds simple enough I suppose." John said as he watched Pauline looking at the test like it was a snake ready to strike her. "It will be alright, no matter how it turns out."

**Pauline gave John a sideways glance. That was easy for him to say. It won't be HIM carrying a baby yet again at an age that it just wasn't respectable anymore. It won't be HIM that will be stared at as if he was a trollop. It won't be HIM that will be hearing the snickering as he walked by. NO! His friends will probably consider this some sort of a macho triumph. **

**Taking a deep breath, Pauline opened the bathroom door and walked through with John close behind her. Picking up the test, Pauline closed her eyes to delay the news for just a few seconds more.**

John stood patiently watching his wife as she refused to look at the test.

**Pauline visibly braced herself before opening her eyes and looked down **then quickly back up at John, "John David, I just can't do this."

"Let me see." John reached for the test. He looked down and saw the window of the test. He seen the paper was wet, but wasn't sure he'd call it blue. He suddenly realized that he had no clue 'how blue' blue would be. He frowned as he tried to determine if the wet paper was just the white paper wet or if it was grey which could be possibly a light blue. "Ummm, Pauline, I ..."

**Pauline heard the uncertainty in John's voice and just knew that he was trying to tell her what she didn't want to hear. Pauline then bolted out of the bathroon and left John behind her. She couldn't help the tears that started to stain her face. She couldn't do this again. She just couldn't.**

John looked at the back of his retreating wife as he now stood in the bathroom alone holding the pregnancy test. He wasn't sure why Pauline had bolted like a scared colt but he knew he'd better find out. John followed her back to the bedroom where he found Pauline laying across the bed crying. "Pauline, Darlin'. What is it?"

**"What's wrong? What's WRONG! John David Duke! How can you ask me that right after you looked at that test." Pauline said as she sat up on the bed. "What's wrong is that we have two infants down the hall and now...NOW!" Pauline could feel her breathing hitch as she thought of the coming months. **

John frowned again, "Just hold on a minute there. You just ran off like the house was on fire. I never said it was positive."

"I know it is! Just by the way you looked at it. Don't even try to sugarcoat it!" Pauline exclaimed.

John sat down beside his wife, "I'm not trying to sugarcoat anything. I was just trying to tell you that I just figured out that I don't know enough about this thing to know what I'm seeing. Just how blue is 'Blue'?"

**"It was BLUE?" That was all that Pauline had to hear. Already she could see that she could expect to be seeing Doc Greenwood a lot more often for the next several months.**

**"I didn't say that." John said as he pulled the test up into view. "I can't read it is all."**

**Pauline reached for the test and took a long look at the test as John waited for his wife to interpret the results. Pauline's hand began to shake briefly before she threw the test at John then reached behind her to grab a pillow and started to use it to hit her husband with it. "You put me through all of this for nothing? That's not blue at all. Honestly!" Pauline shouted at her husband. **

"Pauline! I thought NOT blue was good!" John said as he tried to defend himself from her pillow assault.

**"IT is. But you led me to believe it WAS BLUE!" Pauline said shouting. "I swear you just took ten years off my life." **

"So, it wasn't blue? So you're, we're not, ... pregnant?" John asked wanting to make sure he understood correctly.

Pauline replied unable to keep her voice from raising as she talked, "No, no we're not, ... PREGNANT!"

Karen had been watching the twins downstairs, but had come upstairs for diapers. As she started back downstairs all she heard of her parents conversation was the single word, 'Pregnant!'

**"Oh God! Not again." Karen groaned as she heard her mother. Here she was eighteen years old, fresh out of high school and now her mother was about to give her yet another little brother or sister or two. It hadn't been enough that her mother had been obviously pregnant at most of her senior year school funtions. Now her mother was out for a forth pregnancy. Karen muttered to herself that her parents should know better at their age. And here they'd insisted on giving HER the birth control talk. **

**Karen hurried back down the stairs with the diapers. She couldn't wait to tell Jeb what was going on here at the house the next time he calls from Hazzard.**

John gave her the award winning smile that had caught Pauline's attention years ago. He took Pauline in his arms for a tight hug and passionate kiss, then said, "Alright, I'm going back to work now, while I still can and while you're still not pregnant. And, YOU, you are going to see Doc TOMORROW, so we can stay NOT pregnant!" John kissed Pauline again and knew if he didn't leave now, right now, that this whole test thing may have been for nothing. He groaned as he turned away from Pauline to head back out to work.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

As John did the chores around the farm, Pauline did her normal routine with the twins. If anyone can have a normal routine and twins at the same time, Pauline Duke managed pretty well. Emma and Emily were for the most part good babies and pretty much stuck to a schedule.

Karen had long since chosen to get up and fix breakfast for everyone instead of dealing with two wide awake infants. The way she looked at it, if her parents could 'let' something like this happen at their age, then she'd just let them deal with the infants or as much as possible. She liked her sisters and liked playing with them, but she felt it just wasn't up to her to be burdened with them. At breakfast she watched as her mother ate her normal breakfast and drank coffee with her father. Remembering the part of the conversation that she heard yesterday, Karen wondered just how long it would be now before her mother would insist on just toast for breakfast.

After breakfast John headed out for a normal day on the farms. Karen had returned to her room in pretense of straightening it. After Pauline managed to get the twins down for their morning nap, she then headed to get a bath before heading to town.

**Pauline checked the time and saw that if she was going to get to town in time for her appointment with Doc Greenwood she'd best get moving. She went over to Karen's quiet room and knocked on it to ask her to watch the girls while she was gone but got no reply. She knocked a little louder (but not too loud since the nursery was right between Karen's and Jeb's room with two sleeping infant inside) but still got no response. When Pauline tried the door, she was infuriated to find that the door was locked.**

Pauline had been ready to blow her stack, which would have woke the twins up. Then she remembered that her husband was a smart man. When he and Jeb had redone the kids rooms for Jeb and Karen to have some privacy and for the twins to have a room of their own, John had put a key up for just in case they would need to get into the four kids room. Pauline got the key and returned back to Karen's room.

**When Pauline unlocked the door, Pauline was met by the sight of seeing her eighteen year old daughter lying across her bed with headphones on and listening to a tape on her player at a volume that was so loud she swore that she could almost make out the lyrics from where she was standing. Karen was supposed to be straightening up her room. Instead, she was painting her nails as if she was preparing for a date.**

**"Karen!" Pauline exclaimed as loud as she dared. When she didn't get a response she instead marched over to her daughter and ripped the headphones off of her head. "Just what do you think you're doin'?"**

Karen truned to see her mother standing beside her bed. She was certain that she had locked the bedroom door. "Mother!"

"You were supposed to be cleaning your room, not painting your nails." Pauline said. Then added, "Cut off that blamed music!"

Karen reclutantly reached to cut off the music.

**"The room looks fine to me." Karen shrugged. "I didn't think it'd be that big of a deal. I've been grounded to my room when I'm not helping around the house. The house is spotless so I figured that it wouldn't hurt anything to take a few minutes to myself. Geez!"**

"Well, I see a lot wrong with this room. Clothes don't belong on furniture! You're privileges for the stereo were also taken when you were grounded. Furthermore, locking the door is unacceptable!" Pauline began.

**"Geez, Mom. Take a pill. Just because you got another bun in the oven don't mean that you've got to take it out on me." Karen said as she sat up to face her mother.**

Pauline blushed crimson! Then flew mad, "How dare you! I have no such a thing, but even if I did, that is none of your business!"

**"Right. Just like it wasn't my business a year ago." Karen stood in front of her mother. "But I am the one that is constantly asked to take care of them when you are too busy to. It's my free time that is used to make sure that they are taken care of. Geez mom. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was to go through my senior year with you like you were. Now you're going to do that AGAIN?"**

Pauline couldn't believe this person in front of her was actually her daughter that she had raised for the past eightteen years of her life, "I'll not stand here in my house and defend myself to you, but as long as you live under this roof you will do as I say. The reason I came in here was to **ask** you, but now I am **telling** you that you will be watching the twins while I run to town. Before, you open your mouth to say anything further, I'll remind you that I wasn't thrilled about having to drag both of them to the courthouse to get you out of jail not to very long ago, so you owe me. Or, I can just call the judge and drop the bond."

**Karen's mouth dropped. "I..." Karen now felt certain that her mother had to be pregnant. Now she knew she HAD to call Jeb. After all, it'll be HIM that will have to live with it longer that her. As soon as she could figure out a way out of the house, she was gone. If there was one place she didn't want to live, it was here in Tranquil. **

Pauline continued, "Now, as I said, I'm heading to town and should be back soon. Then, you can do the rest of your chores that you have ignored all morning. The girls are asleep, bottles in the refrig."

**Karen had a retort on the tip of her tongue but held it. With her mother out of the house, she could call her friends and check in with them. Then she could call Jeb. Karen figured that she chose the wrong summer to not go to Hazzard. But then, considering all that has happened there over the summer so far, she wasn't sure which place would have been worse. "Fine." Karen said. After all she wasn't sure that her mother wouldn't carry out her threat and send her back to jail to await her trial stemming from her night out with Danny. Karen couldn't help but wonder if he'd still be interested in her after all of the legal business was over.**

Pauline was glad that her daughter had finally seen things her way. "Good. I'll be back soon. Remember, the girls schedule and that you are still grounded. No phone, friends, radio, ..."

"Yeah, Mother I know." Karen replied.

**Pauline checked the twins one last time before heading on out. Karen then waited another ten minutes to get on the phone. She had planned to wait to call her brother last but considering everything, she couldn't wait to hear her baby brother's reaction to yet ANOTHER baby on the way. She only prayed that Jeb would be the one to answer the phone. If Daisy answered instead, Karen just knew that she'd spill to her younger cousin. Daisy and her always used to share gossip when they were younger but they seemed to grow apart once Karen went to high school. Now Karen was out of school and the chasm between them seemed even bigger. **

Karen dialed the number to get the Hazzard County operator. She hated calling Hazzard and having to go through the operator instead of jsut dialing your number. Once the Operator came on the line she asked for the Duke Farm. She prayed again that Jeb answered. No such luck.

Daisy answered the phone, "Duke Farm."

**"Daisy." Karen said trying to restrain herself from just spilling out the news that she'd just learned.**

**"Karen!" Daisy shouted into the line at her only female cousin. With the exception of the twins of course. "Honey, I've missed you!"**

**"Yeh, I know. Listen, Jeb wouldn't happen to be around would he?" Karen said while trying to sound natural. Though she supposed that calling her little brother in the middle of the day was anything but normal. **

Daisy looked out the window. She didn't even see Luke who was more or less still restricted to the house area of the farm. "Sugar, I don't see any of the guys or Uncle Jesse. Is anything wrong there?"

**"Well, not really. I was hoping to talk to Jeb. Imagine that. I actually miss having my baby brother around." Karen said jokingly as she then bit her lip trying to figure out if she should tell Daisy what she had heard yesterday. She really felt like she owed it to Jeb to tell him first. After all, he should know what kind of house he'll be returning to before school started back.**

Daisy looked again, "Sugar, about the best I can do, is tell him to call you when they all get back in later today."

**"Um... Actually I'm grounded and I ain't supposed to be usin' the phone. I don't think Mom would let me use the phone even to talk to Jeb. She's in town right now. That's why I'm callin' now and not later." Karen starred out of the window wondering just how long she had before her mother came home. "I'll try to get Jeb later. It just may take a few days."**

'Ummm, ... Alright. Should I tell him that you called? Is anything wrong there other than you're being grounded?" Daisy asked.

**"No, nothing else is wrong." Karen said then added, "Just tell the rug-rat that if he can. Have him try to call me without getting me in trouble. If Mom knows I used the phone I'll be lucky to see the light of day when I'm thirty."**

Daisy smiled. She had been in Karen's shoes before. "Darlin', I'll sure tell him, just as soon as I see him.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Pauline made it to town to see Doc. She was cautioned that since she still had not had a cycle that she and John should used additional protection for the next month or so to let the birth control to get into her system. Doc also advised Pauline that with her age she may also be starting to go through the change of life. **That fact had hit her a bit harder than she would have thought. It was one thing to not WANT anymore children. It was quite another to be told that she very soon won't be ABLE to have more children. She wasn't really all that old. Every day she looked in the mirror and saw a woman that was still quite attractive, if she does say so herself. Especially for her age...Her age. When did she start adding that last bit?**

Thanks again for reading and reviewing!


	53. Getting Things Back to Normal

Chapter 53

When Jeb came in with the other guys just before dinner, Daisy got him off to the side and told him about Karen's call. Jeb had turned to call her back, when Daisy stopped him. She explained that Karen was grounded and she wanted him to try to call her without getting her into more trouble. Jeb knew that if he called now his parents should be there to answer the phone and he would promptly be told that Karen was grounded and he could call her back when she got ungrounded, then he'd be stuck talking to them about every detail of his summer so far. Jeb said, "Thanks Daisy, I'll try her maybe later or tomorrow."

Daisy figured Jeb knew how best to handle such things in his house so she thought no more about it.

Over the next few days things were pretty much back to as normal as any Duke on both farms could expect with Luke still on the mend and Karen still grounded. Both the recent graduates were beginning to get just a bit stir crazy.

Jeb had talked with several of his friends and had found a motocycle that he intended to buy once he got paid for his help at Jesse's over the summer. Now, he just had to get his Dad on his side, before he brought this up to his mother.

Bo had finally gotten his cast of his broken wrist. It was still a bit weak and he was cautioned to take things slow, but at least he was now able to drive any vehicle on the farm. He couldn't believe that thirty seconds of stupidity before school was out had haunted him this long.

Over at the Tri-Counties jail Ralph Green was learning that the warning about the food that he'd gotten shortly after he arrived here was accurate. He would almost welcome a plate of the Chili Mac stuff after five days of things that had been far worse and he'd never seen cornbread served nearly every meal but breakfast.

He had tried and tried to call Robin's but no one would except his calls which was likely due to the high charges of the calls. At least that is what he tried to tell himself, since even his family didn't take his calls.

Ralph was also learning that living in a cell with four other men was less that easy. Things went on that he knew shouldn't be going on there and if the guard found out all of them were sure to be in deeper trouble than they were. In fact, they had more than insisted that he join them in drinking some of their home made hooch. Ralph was smart enough to know that the reason they insisted on him joining them was that he would not be able to 'rat' them out if he too was drinking it.

On Placid County, Pauline was out hanging up mounds of laundry caused from having twin infants in the house, John was at work somewhere on the Loftlin family property. Karen grabbed the phone, as she watched her mother hanging clothes. Finally she had caught Jeb in the house, "Jeb! Am I glad I FINALLY got you on the phone!" Karen exclaimed.

Jeb frowned, "Oh Lord, if you are glad to talk to me something is really wrong."

"I'll SAY! and it effects you longer and more than it will me." Karen began. She didn't bother to 'sugar coat' this or beat around the bush because of the Hazzard County operators. Karen figured that if her parents weren't totally ashamed of their behavior then she wouldn't try to hide it either.

"Me? What are you talking about? I'll be here all summer." Jeb replied.

"Yes, you will, but you are the sixteen year old that will still be here for at least the better part of two years." Karen reminded.

"Ok, I'll give you that. So what's up?" Jeb asked.

You know the room between yours and mine. We'll I 'understand' that it will be housing yet another brat!" Karen said.

"WHAT? You can't be serious!" Jeb exclaimed. Surely Karen was wrong or something.

"I heard the 'P' word myself the other day when I tried to call you and you decided NOT to call me back." Karen hissed.

"I was going to call you back, but Daisy said to call you when I thought Mom and Pops would be out. Then, well, it sort of slipped my mind." Jeb said.

"SLIPPED YOUR MIND! You have LOST your mind! Karen exclaimed. "Look, I never call you so when I DO you'd think that it might just be important!"

Jebb replied, "Ummm, yeah, I'll remember that for the next time you call. Karen, are you sure that you mistaken."

Karen replied, "Trust me on this. I know what I heard."

"Well, Ok, but let me know if you hear anything else. Hey when will you be ungrounded?" Jebb asked.

Karen seen Pauline was now picking up the empty basket, "At least for the next thirty years IF I get this phone hung up before Mom gets in here, longer if I don't so I've gotta to go."

Jebb looked at phone in his hand as he wondered what his sister could have possibly done to be in that much trouble.

By Friday night Bo was itching to get out and drive somewhere anywhere. He had pretty much gottent he stiffness out of his wrist that had been casted for the last six weeks.

Luke was feeling much better. At least now he could breath and his ribs were starting to heal. He feeling a lot more than a little stir crazy. Luke couldn't remember the last time that he had spent a whole week at home because he was sick or hurt.

Jesse could see the three boys all itching for a night away from the farm. The trouble with that was he knew Luke didn't need a night like he'd had that had aggravated his injuries. He also didn't need to turn Bo and Jeb out on the town alone. The best idea that Jesse had to give them some elbow room, yet insure they were pretty much not up to 'no good' was to give them something to do. So, before any of them got up the nerve to ask about going out tonight, Jesse called them, "Boys." After all three had joined him on the porch Jesse began, "Alright, we've managed to get a little behind in production and delivery lately."

Luke felt that Jesse was looking dead at him. He knew that between being in jail and being hurt, that he hadn't been much help lately.

Bo also dropped his gaze as he knew that his own injury had also not helped the family business.

"I want you fellas to head up to Still Site #3 and cook that batch that should be good and prime tonight." Jesse said, "I'm heading off to #1 and mix us up a batch that will be ready to cook off here in a few days. Luke I'm going to let you go cause it's a warm night, but no over doing it."

Luke replied, "Yes, Sir." Luke figured that at least he was out of the house. He had been no further than the barn since last Sunday.

Bo frowned but didn't say a word. This was NOT how he'd hoped his night would go.

Jebb hadn't really planned to work tonight either but since he didn't get to help cook many of the batches he wouldn't mind either.

As the evening turned to night the three Duke boys in Hazzard County had their camping gear and fishing poles and were ready for a night of cooking. Of course they would also get to sample first hand some of Jesse Duke's finest.

In Placid County, Karen had completed all the extra chores her mother had dished out to her and finally headed to her room. She hoped the twins slept tonight as she was always the first one to be awakened by their cries. Karen had dressed in her pajamas and stretched across her bed with the latest magazine about glamorous stars of Country Music. She was nearly ready to get under the covers when she heard something hit her window, then she heard it a second time. Getting up from the bed Karen went to the window. Below she saw Danny. She opened the window quietly and said, "What are you doing?"

"Come on down." Danny said.

Karen whispered, "I can't. I'm grounded."

"So am I. We're all going up to the lake." Danny said, "The others are waiting. You can come down to the porch roof and I'll catch you."

Karen figured Danny knew what he was talking about, "Let me change." She quickly changed into a loose pair of old jeans and top. She quickly grabbed her bathing suit that she used to lay out in, locked her bedroom door from the inside, then placed a nail file in the door frame to keep a key from being used to get in like her mother did the other day. After climbing out on to the roof she slide down until she felt Danny grab her ankles then she let go and dropped into his arms. They quickly headed toward the woods where their friends waited for them in Roy's pickup truck.

Once in the truck, Karen told Danny, "I'm dead, if they find out I'm gone."

"Join the crowd. The way we have it figured, we'll be going to court soon. We may as well have one good night to remember if we're sitting behind bars for awhile." Danny said.

"You don't really think that, that will happen do you?" Karen asked.

"The Judge's nick name is Hardcase. I hear he is the toughest of the three judges. He doesn't stand for 'his' law to be broken. Sorta takes it personally." Danny explained.

Karen sighed, "Oh Great!"

Danny wrapped his arm around her and said, "Let's not worry about that tonight. We've got a new place out by the lake all picked out and the night is young."

Karen said a silent prayer that her parents didn't find her gone.

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Sorry for the long delay. Blame life, work and internet problems. Hope you enjoy. Plan the next chapter to be longer. Please review.


	54. By the Light of the Moon!

Thanks for the reviews everyone, especially Andy and Vector! Remember if I'm not writing at least I'm thinking while at work about ways to cause your favorite people grief! I do also like to throw in a bit of fun and pleasure too! Life can't be all bad right! Hope ya'll enjoy!

Chapter 54

Luke had let Bo drive his Torino since Jesse would have the pick-up to haul supplies up to the other site. When they cut off road Luke warned, "It will go up here but it's not a truck so just make sure we have an oil pan in tack to get back home in the morning."

"Would you relax. I've driven up here before." Bo said as he attempted to straddle a rock on a washed out section on the trail. The scraping sound of the rock on the under carriage of the car hushed it's driver.

"Good job, Bo." Luke said.

Bo frowned, "Cute, Luke, just hush and let me drive."

"If that's what you call it." Luke grumbled.

"Real cute!" Bo said as he got the car parked up on top of a hill in a clearing on a flat that never should have had a vehicle on, let alone a sports car.

The boys went to the trunk for the fishing & camping gear, sleeping bags and shotgun. Jebb had been to the stills plenty but mostly Jesse was with them. It seemed odd when Luke reached for the shotgun. As far as he could remember he'd never seen either of his cousin's with a gun before. Seeing the shotgun in Jesse's hand was as normal as his red cap on his head. "Does Uncle Jesse know you have that?"

Luke gave his younger cousin a smile, "He's the one who handed it to me."

After the rather long walk to get to the still from where they parked the car, the boys set up camp and got a fire going. The fire was both to cook supper by and to cook off the batch of 'shine. Others were now using modern hi-tech propane cookers, but not the Dukes. Jesse Duke firmly believed that the old ways were best and what you put into the shine is what you got out - both in ingredients, work and time. The Dukes used good hard dry woods like oak to minimize the smoke and maximize the heat of the fire. Luke watched the smoke from the fire as it rose and dissipated. He smiled. That was what he wanted it to do.

The boys dropped a couple lines into the nearby stream hoping to catch a nice mess of fish for supper while they tended the fire at the still. By dark the still was cooking, the mess of fish were fried up crispy. The boys ate and talked about girls, cars, motorcycles, races and more girls!

Jebb had told of several races he'd been in already, both official with rules and unofficial anything goes races. Even though he didn't have a bike of his own, yet, a couple of friends had helped arrange him rides and as he told it, he was pretty good.

Luke poked the fire a bit and reminded, "You do know if you get hurt your Momma will tan what's left of your hide?"

"I know that, that's why she don't have to know everything." Jebb replied.

Luke grimaced at those words. He'd been in those shoes before and his back-side was sore for a week when Jesse found out what Luke had tried and failed to keep from him.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

**John woke up silently cursing the last cup of coffee that he'd drunk just before heading off to bed and slipped out of bed to head off toward the bathroom. He hated getting up in the middle of the night since farm hours started very early but sometimes it just couldn't be help. John figured that while he was up he might as well as check on the twins. They were both still asleep but he could tell that they needed diaper changes so he carefully replaced their wet diapers with dry ones, never waking the twins up. He figured that the diaper exchange just might make it where they'd be able to sleep through the night. He hoped so at least.**

**Walking out of the nursery, John headed back to his and his wife's room and passed Karen's room on the way. He figured that while he was checking on the young infants it wouldn't hurt to check on his oldest as well. After all, he knew that she'd been worried about the upcoming court date. When John went to open the door, his brow furled at the fact that the door was now locked. In all of Karen's eighteen years John couldn't remember her ever sleeping with the door locked. Concerned, John retrieved the key to the bedroom doors and again tried Karen's door. This time it was obvious that Karen had blocked the door. John put his shoulder into the door and as quietly as he could forced the door open. Once he stepped inside John found what he'd suspected he would once he'd encountered the locked door. The room was empty, Karen was no where to be found. The open window told John how she'd left the room after **putting the nail file in the door facing**.**

**"John David Duke, do you know what time it is?" Pauline said sleepily. She'd woke up to the sound of John forcing the door open. Right now, Pauline was just glad that the twins seem to still be blissfully asleep.**

**"I do. Apparently, though, someone ELSE doesn't." John said gruffly.**

**Pauline scanned the room and saw that her oldest daughter was no where to be seen. "John, Karen! She's...She's..."**

**"I know." John said as he turned to leave the room and headed into his and his wife's room. "I'll go see if I can find her." John dug out a set of clothes and started to change quickly out of his pajama bottoms.**

**"At this time of night, where could she have gone?" Pauline asked as she started to get really mad that her GROUNDED daughter had defied them and left out in the middle of the night. She'd never done such a foolish thing before. In fact it seemed that since she'd graduated from High School she'd been doing a lot of things that she'd never done before.**

**"I have a few places in mind. I'll start off up at the lake where she and her friends were caught at the last time she was out." John said as he pulled his boots on. "I'll be back as soon as I find her or radio me on the CB if she gets home before I do."**

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

After slipping away from the house and meeting the others at Roy's truck, the group drove to another hidden place on the lake.** Danny had been surprised by his unlikely second chance to deflower the seemingly innocent Duke female though he didn't plan to complain. He'd wanted to try his luck with her for years but hadn't since he figured that if he did it'd make playing ball with the girl's younger brother a bit awkward. Now Danny was no longer in school and Jebb was out of the county so those reasons no longer meant much to him.**

**Much like the last time that the friends had all been down to the lake together, each couple seemed all to willing to split off from the rest of the group. Remembering just how willing Karen had been after a few drinks Danny had made sure to bring plenty of beer with him. He hoped that this time he'd be able to fully appreciate that willingness to please him.**

**Karen grabbed the blanket that was sitting beside the case of beer and carried it toward the spot in the woods that Danny had already staked out earlier in the day. He knew that even if the **law** showed up again he and Karen should be able to hide out just far enough away from the others to avoid detection.**

**Once in the little nitch in the woods, Danny helped Karen spread the blanket near the bank and then settled on it with her. He popped a beer open for both of them and handed Karen's to her. She took it willingly and took a sip expecting the odd flavor from before. This time the taste of the beer did not seem so offensive to her so she took a bigger sip to help ease her nerves. She'd never snuck out of the house before.**

**"Relax, Babe." Danny said as he took a swig of his own beer. "What all can your folks do anyway? You're an adult now. They can't touch you." Danny then put his beer down and watched Karen down a good bit of her's before putting her can back down.**

**"You don't know my parents." Karen said as she again began to have second thoughts about having snuck out. Those thoughts had her finishing her beer much faster than she'd thought possible. She'd actually gulped the beverage. "They'll still look at me as a kid when I'm thirty." Karen bemoaned only to have Danny pull her closer to him.**

**"Only if you let them see you as a kid." Danny muttered as he found Karen's neck with his lips and began to nuzzle her and leave kisses along the length of her throat. "All I see tonight is beautiful woman that is driving me crazy."**

**Karen tipped her head back and moaned as he then felt Danny's hands begin to roam her body much in the same way he had the last time they'd been in a similar situation. Karen moved her head so that she could return Danny's kisses. Danny grinned into the kiss and shifted his weight so that Karen leaned back onto the blanket. Karen moved her hands against Danny's chest as she felt that her bra become loosened beneath her shirt. Karen gasped as she felt her bra replaced with warm flesh. She then felt Danny pull back to pull his shirt off which Karen then replied by removing her own shirt. Much to Danny's delight. Finally, he was going to get into the Duke's pants and he only had to get one beer into her tonight to do it.**

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

**John had been looking for his errant daughter for hours and he was ready to chew nails. He'd decided to look just one more place before going home to wait for his daughter to come home on her own. He'd checked the lake first and had found nothing. **

John had looked all around the lake and being that he was a man, he'd also checked several other well known make-out areas. He found nothing. That really didn't surprise him if people really didn't want to be found then they would find a place either in this county or one of the others. Karen may be his daughter, but she was eighteen. He only hoped that she was making better choices than she had before, if not he'd get a call in a few hours from one of the jails.

Whatever was going on with his daughter, he couldn't stop. He knew that and wished his wife would figure it out. They had raised their kids right and all he could do was hope the information sunk in. John Duke would not stand for his children of any ages to get hurt, but if he couldn't find her then he couldn't handle the situation. There was only one thing left to do, go home, and WAIT!

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

By the time that the moon signaled midnight, Luke had the fire under the still going and some of the purest moonshine in these parts was now making it's way toward the jugs at the other end. Bo and Jeb were filling and corking the filled jugs while Luke kept the smokeless fire burning hot.

After all the shine was in corked jugs and they had moved the jugs to a hidden location away from the still, then went to their camp site a short distance away.

Luke only now broke out a pint of shine took a drink then passed it to Bo. The work was done for the night so they would kick back at their camp site near the creek and for the most part relax, but all three knew that you never relaxed too much this close to the a still. That fact was made clear by the shotgun that Luke had against the old oak beside him.

Jeb kicked off tonights conversation as he took his own swig of shine, "Where do you think this load will be going?"

Bo replied, "It's been awhile since we been up to Tubby's Place Luke. You heard anything about going back up there?"

"You know Jesse don't tell me nothing like that until it's time to go." Luke replied. He knew exactly why Bo was asking about Tubby's though.

Jebb could tell by the tone of Bo's voice. "What is so special about Tubby's?"

Luke replied, "Let's just say that Tubby's girls are real nice to the drivers if the load is on time."

Bo added, "Trust me that is one load you don't want to be late with."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Danny was close, very close to getting what he came for, Duke's sister was hot and bothered something furious. From all indications, the girl was supposed to be a 'good girl' but Danny figured that it really hadn't taken him long to change her if she was as innocent as she claimed. He had waited long enough and was about to find out just how innocent as he deepened the kiss.

Karen liked the feelings running wildly through her body as Danny's hands traveled over her. As he deepen the kiss she wanted more. She wanted him closer to her. Karen automatically wrapped her legs around him.

That was Danny's sign of point of no return. He deepen the kiss more and held on tight for the ride as he tried not to hurt her.

Karen felt Danny move closer as she whimpered in pain.

Danny heard the slight whimper as Karen's fingernails dug into his back. He smile widely, she **had** been as innocent as she said, "Shhhh, the worse part is over. Now let's see if I can make you enjoy it."

And enjoy it Karen did!

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Back at the farm, John parked his truck in it's usual place. He saw Pauline had every light in the house on. As John went inside he began flipping lights off. Finally going in his bedroom with his boots still on Pauline asked, "Did you find her?"

"No." John replied.

Pauline's eyes went wide, "Well, then what are you going to do?"

John reached up on the bedroom wall and took down his shot gun. Opening the chambers he tossed out one of the regular shells, then replaced it with one loaded with buck shot. He filled two of his pockets one each of each of the shells. "Leave as many lights off as you can. Make the house look still and normal, and don't come outside, NO matter what, Pauline, stay IN the house."

Pauline Duke did not like orders from anyone and that was what John was giving her, but years of marriage told her not to buck him on this tonight. "Alright."

"When Karen gets home, I'll deal with it. She'll come in first, while I handle the friends, then I'll deal with her. Understood?" John said more than firmly.

It had been awhile since Pauline had seen John so focused. Again, she didn't like his tone, but she would handle him later, "Understood." She knew John had a temper but these days he mostly controled it unless he was drinking. Tonight he was stone cold sober.

John went outside. One thing about being a Duke and a moonshiner, John Duke was a patient man. He found the place out front where the vehicle that picked Karen up had parked. Figuring that these teens would park back in the same place, he found him a hidden spot right close by and he waited...

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please review! The reviews really do keep me going! Thanks for sticking around with us.


	55. Things That Creap in the Night

Chapter 55

Jeb joined Bo's wide smile at the thought of being on time at Tubby's.

Luke enjoyed the fringe benefits too, but knew that just getting through was more important than getting there on time for the added benefits, though he was never one to turn down anything warm and soft in his bed either. Those were the same added bonuses that Jesse Duke never mentioned, because he didn't know about them OR more than likely hoped that his nephews wouldn't get involved in, but they all knew that those same nephews were good old boys with hot red blood coursing through their veins.

The boys continued to talk about girls, cars, motorcycles, races and girls! while they sipped a bit of shine. Tonight Luke would be drinking far less than his younger cousins, because tonight he was in charge of making sure that nothing went wrong. The fire was out, the shine cooked and bottled, but here they were camped within a hundred feet of a still and a large shipment of shine. Getting caught here, now, meant that they would loose a still, a load of shine, Bo and Jebb would get a slap on the wrist and Luke would turn twenty one in prison. Jesse would be one still, the cost of the shine, and one driver and nephew down if they let their guard down. Luke's ribs were healing but sleeping on the ground even in a sleeping bag would not have been anywhere near comfortable, so he opted to lean against the old oak tree with the shotgun in his lap and coverup with the sleeping bag. Luke may dose off but he would be well aware of their surroundings.

John Duke was even more aware of his surroundings. The sky was getting light when he heard a very faint sound which got louder and louder until John knew that it was a truck and it was on his property and coming this way. He smiled, they were actually going to drive right up to him like he had planned.

Roy drove his pickup back to the place in the woods near Karen's house, "Don't take all night he told Danny."

"I won't." Danny said as he helped Karen down from the bed of the pickup.

John waited several feet back in the woods for Karen and her 'date' to get well away from the others before he stepped in behind them and cocked the shotgun.

Danny wanted to run, thought that he ought to run, yet his feet was planted firmly on ground.

John reached out and grabbed the young man by his ear, "Karen, get to the house and wait on me in the living room."

"But Daddy?" Karen pleaded.

John replied firmly, "Go on."

Karen knew her father's tone of voice and knew it was better for all concerned if she listened quickly to her father. She sent Danny a look of apology before she turned toward the house.

John was far enough away from the pickup that had dropped the two off, that his voice wouldn't be heard, "Now, let me guess you are Danny?" The young man in front of him nodded, 'yes'. "Good, good. Now I'd **hate** to think that my little girl was out sneaking around with just any **guy**." John infasized the word to make his meaning clear. "Ya see, I raised my girl right and I'll not let you or any one else hurt her. Do you understand me?"

Danny stuttered as he saw the shotgun and felt his ear being pulled on, "Ye, ...yes, ... Sirrr."

John grinned behind the young man's back, "Good answer. I like that. So, ... we're going to go tell your friends parked over there in the clearing that you don't need a ride home, then we're going up to the place and you can meet my Mrs.," John's smile got wider, "Then, I'll be takin' you home and have me a nice long talk with your Pa."

Danny wanted to protest but felt the barrel of the shotgun digging into his side as Karen's father told him to start walking. Walk he did right back to the pickup that they had just got out of.

Roy fused when he say Danny step out of the trees, "It's about time!"

"He was delayed." John said as he stepped out of the trees and let the breaking day light hit the barrel of the shotgun. "Now, Danny, tell them what we talked about."

Danny tried hard a couple of times before he found his voice, "Ya'll can go. I don't need a ride." He nearly squeaked.

Roy seen what was happening, "Look Mister, we ain't leavin' our buddy."

John smiled, "I like loyalty, really I do, but you've got thirty seconds and counting to get off my property or I flatten all four tires and then all four of you walk home!" John cocked the second barrel of the shotgun. John watched as Roy and the others sped off down the road to who knows where. "You have some good friends there Danny. Right stand up kinda fellas they are." John said as he started the two back toward the farmhouse.

Once she got back to the house, Karen had kicked her shoes off as she came through the door and was now sitting on the couch with her face buried in her knees as tears of embarrassment washed down her face.

Pauline had heard Karen come in so she came down, but for once she held her tongue like John David had asked her too. She took a seat across from the couch and waited on the fireworks that were sure to come.

John and Danny came in the house and John 'offered' Danny a seat beside Karen that the boy couldn't resist, considering John had 'put' him there.

Something in the way that John 'put' the young man there, told him it was in his best interest to stay right there.

As John took his chair across from the teens he rested the still loaded shotgun on his lap. Looking at the clock John seen that there was no point in even trying to go back to bed. He looked at Pauline, "Why don't you put on some coffee and get breakfast started. We'll be havin' company this morning."

Pauline wasn't sure what John David was up to but she headed to the kitchen while keeping her ears open to try to hear the conversation in the living room.

Karen was holding her breath. She knew that this wasn't going to be a normal breakfast and was likely to be a breakfast she would remember for a long while.

Danny remembered Karen telling him that he didn't know her parents when he was trying to tell her that her parents couldn't touch her. The trouble now was that her father had already showed him that **he** could touch **him**. On the bright side, Karen's father told her mother they were having company for breakfast so he could plan on living that long.

John studied the two teens before him in silence for several minutes before he spoke, "I take it that tonight wasn't just a skinny dippin' party." He looked from one to the other of the teens.

Karen was suddenly very interested in the carpet on the floor.

Danny didn't like where this conversation was going.

"So, tell me just why did **my** daughter slip out a second story window in the middle of the night to meet **you**?" John asked.

Danny swallowed several times trying to get past the feeling that his mouth was full of cotton, before he spoke up, "We will all have to go to Court soon, ..."

"Yeah, now let me see that is for the drunken, skinny dippin' party where you got my daughter out of her clothes." John interrupted. "Continue."

Danny sighed, "We've all pretty much been grounded since then. But, us fellas ran into each other, ... and, ... well, ... got the idea, ... that since we were all ready in trouble, ... that, ..."

John finished the sentence for the young man. "... a bit more wouldn't make any difference." John felt that he could finish the teens thought word for word. He had been a teen once and a Duke teen at that.

Danny looked utterly surprised that Karen's father had known exactly what he was going to say.

John replied, "Son, I was a teenager myself and I wasn't a Saint, but the trouble I caused wasn't out getting girls to get in trouble with their parents and the law."

Danny nodded his understanding.

John continued, "Now, tell me, should I be expecting a grandchild soon?"

"Daddy!" Karen exclaimed.

Danny was sure glad that his parents weren't like Karen's as he tried to come up with an answer to the man's question. He found it really hard to answer such questions with the man still holding the shotgun.

"I'm waiting for an answer." John said as he patted the shotgun in his lap.

Danny rubbed the back of his neck, "No, ... I mean, ... there shouldn't be."

Karen covered her face with her hands. She wondered HOW Danny could have answered her father like that! She felt herself turning about fifteen shades of purple from her neck up.

"Alright. Karen your mother will be scheduling you a doctors appointment real soon, until then, you are grounded, ... that means no car, phone, stereo, and especially NO going out windows in the middle of the night. And to make life real fair, you see son, I'm not so out of touch that I don't know who dates who and goes where, so I'll have my eye and ears out on you too. You will NOT be dating anyone until I know for sure whether or not we'll be havin' us a wedding. Is that clear?" John asked.

Now Danny knew that he and Karen had sex, but he also knew they were protected. Yet, protection can fail when you least expect it. He wasn't ready for marriage or even ready to think about marriage. "But, ... but, ..."

"There is no 'buts'. If my daughter is pregnant, then you better danged well hope you two love or at least like each other. I don't plan on dying anytime soon and you'll walk out on her over my dead body. Do you hear me?" John's voice got a bit louder.

Danny's eyes went wide and it felt as if his throat was closing up as he tried to reply, "Umm, ... yeah."

"I prefer, 'Yes, Sir.' for future reference." John added.

Danny hadn't ever called anyone 'Sir' in his life before tonight, "Umm, ... Ok."

John raised his eyebrows a bit while he waited for the correct answer.

"Sir." Danny added reluctantly.

"That's better but we have time to work on it." John said. "Now, breakfast should be ready, then I'll take you home and have a nice long talk with you Paw. You can also come over after church on Sunday for dinner."

Karen was shocked. Her father had just invited Danny to Sunday dinner.

John had figured that if this young man was to be his future son-in-law that at least he needed to have an understanding with him. That would NOT be accomplished by trying to keep the teens apart.

Bo was the first to stir on his way to find the nearest tree.

Luke gave him a smile, "Glad you are up. Get a fire going for coffee and breakfast while I catch forty winks." Luke pulled the sleeping bag around him tighter and finally relaxed since Bo was now up and moving about.

Jeb wasn't far behind Bo, when he started to stir in the wee hours of dawn.

Bo and Jeb worked together to get the fire and coffee going. Luke was wide awake by the time the coffee was done.

Something was bothering Jeb and he figured that he might as well get it out into the open while they were out here in the woods alone. "Luke?"

Luke was about half way through his first cup of coffee, "Yeah."

"When do you figure Dad will have to go to Court?' Jeb asked.

"He actually should be getting the court date in the mail soon." Luke said.

Jeb nodded in response, "What do you think will happen?"

Luke didn't want to give his cousin any false hope but didn't want to overly concern him either, "Well, his only charge was Fighting and the Judge explained to me that could be a fine and or jail up to twelve months. I had a couple other charges too. He gave me a ten day stay. Other than my experience I really don't have anything else to go on."

Jeb looked at the fire, "But, he could go to jail for a year?"

Luke shrugged, "He **could**, but I don't really think he will. Even after Green and I got into again, I heard that he was only going to give Green fifteen days until he kept running his mouth. After all that he only got ninety days in Tri Counties Jail. From what Uncle Jesse said, this isn't your Dad's first time in Court, so he'll know not to peeve the Judge off. Hopefully, he'll just get fined."

Jeb sighed, "Yeah."

Luke seen that there was something else bothering Jeb, "Something else you want to talk about?

"Karen called the other day. I don't know how official this is, but from what she said, Mom is pregnant again." Jeb groaned.

"Whoa!" Bo exclaimed.

Luke nearly choked on his coffee. "Way to go Uncle John!"

"Look, we're talking about **my parents** here. If she is pregnant, we all know what they did for her to get that way." Jeb shuttered at the thought.

Bo frowned, "You mean they still do that? at their ages?"

Just picturing his prime and proper aunt, Luke couldn't stop the shutter as it traveled through his body.

Jeb replied to Bo, "Well, they were at least a year ago. Emma and Emily are proof of that!"

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Sorry for the delay. Things at work getting back to normal now. Happy New Year! Please review!


	56. Invitations!

Chapter 56

After a tense breakfast at the Duke farm, John as promised drove a very reluctant Danny home.

Danny's parents had just gotten up and had coffee on when they heard the pickup coming up the drive. Mr. Stone when out the front door to see who was showing up at such an early hour. As soon as the pickup stopped he saw his son, who was supposed to still be grounded, on the passenger side of the vehicle that he didn't recognize. It was only after John Duke stepped out of the vehicle did Mr. Stone recognize him as one of the fathers of one of the kids that Danny had played ball with.

"Mr. Duke." Mr. Stone greeted. He wasn't sure how else to proceed at this point since he son should have still been upstairs asleep.

"Mr. Stone as you can see I brought your son home and hoped to have a few words alone with you." John said.

Danny's father nodded, "Yes, of course, but wouldn't you prefer to come inside? Coffee should be done by now."

"No, thank you. We've been up for sometime now and have already had breakfast, thanks in part to your son here. Isn't that right Danny?" John said.

Danny replied, "Yes, Sir."

Mr. Stone raised his eyebrows. He had never heard his son call anyone including him 'Sir'. "Alright, Mr. Duke what can I do for you?" He asked as he walked off the porch toward their visitor.

John was trying to maintain a calm that he did not feel. "As you know, your son was out at the lake awhile back with a group of friends when they had a run in with the law. It seems that your son's 'date' that night was my daughter. Last night they all figured they weren't in enough trouble, so they snuck out and went who knows where, but I'm pretty sure I do know what they were doing. Don't I Danny?"

Danny watched the toe of his boot digging into the ground with fascination, before he looked up, "Yes, Sir."

There was that word again, Mr. Stone thought.

John Duke looked Mr. Stone in the eye, "Now, I was young once and I'm not an unreasonable man. I can't have my daughter slipping out a second story window, not to mention the chances that she could have gotten pregnant."

Mr. Stone shot his son a look.

"It's not like that, Dad, we used protection." Danny defended.

"As I was saying, my daughter is grounded and won't be dating at least until I find out if we are going to be relatives. Now, I've told your boy here that I'll expect that same from and I will be keeping an eye and ear out on him. He is also expected, if it is alright with you, to be over at our place for Sunday dinner. If I may be getting a son-in-law, I'd like to get to know him when I haven't woke up to find my daughter missing." John said.

Mr. Stone looked from the man to his son. All in all he felt the man was being more fair than most fathers he knew, "He'll be there."

Danny's head shot up in total surprise.

John replied, "We'll set and extra plate. Dinner is just after church. Good day to ya both."

01~~~~~~~~~~01

The boys continued to talk and Jeb explained that he had found out Karen was grounded. After doing a bit of snooping it seemed that she had been arrested for Underage Drinking and Indecent Exposure. "Karen told me she was grounded, so I called around and found out why. It seems that my 'perfect sister' spent the night in jail.

Bo exclaimed, "No way!"

"That is what I thought too." Jeb responded. "But I confirmed it with more that a couple friends."

"For WHAT?" Luke asked.

"Well, with me here, it seems Karen picked this time to go out with a guy I played ball with. The way the story goes, he got here pretty drunk and then put the 'moves' on her." Jeb held up his hand to stop his older cousins, "I'll deal with him when I get home, when he least expects it."

Luke grinned. At least one of his younger cousins were learning something about not rushing into a situation without thinking about it first.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse Duke made his way out to the mail box Saturday morning. As soon as he glanced at the envelopes he knew exactly what one of them was: John's court date for the fight with Mr. Campbell. Jesse hoped that the conversation that he'd been able to have with Judge Hardcastle would do some good. At least he had tried to help his brother out. That is when he had found out about his niece's arrest in Placid the same night that her father had been arrested.

Jesse hadn't talked to John to find out if Pauline was indeed pregnant again. He knew John would get around to telling him sooner or later, but either way he knew that taking care of the twins alone wouldn't be easy for Pauline. Jesse sighed as he thought to himself, _'Maybe one of these days that boy will learn.' _

He layed the unopened envelope on the table until he could call John later.

Daisy looked at the envelope addressed to her Uncle John from the Hazzard County Courts. "Is that what I think it is?"

Jesse nodded when he saw the look on her face, "Yes, it is. We all knew it would get here sooner or later."

"I know, ... it's just that, ... What do you think will happen?" Daisy asked.

Jesse replied, "With any luck he'll get a fine and a good talkin' too. I've talked to him since he was your age though and this is still happening, so I'm not sure how much good a talkin' to will do."

"Uncle Jesse you saw how Pauline was about Luke, what if he don't just get a fine?" Daisy asked.

Jesse reassured his niece, "They'll be alright, Daisy girl, they've been through worse."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Saturday evening as John pulled into his driveway he stopped at the mailbox for the mail. As he thumbed through the mail he saw the unmistakable envelope from Placid County Courts addressed to Karen. He sighed. John had hoped that there were certain Duke traits that his kids would not inherit, but if Karen was any indication he be as grey as Jesse before he got all four of his kids out of the house. The envelope was also a reminder to himself that he should be getting his own 'invitation' to Hazzard any day now.

John came in the kitchen and hugged Pauline who was at the stove.

Karen had just in from the living room and seen her father hugging her mother. "Gross!" She said under her breath thinking that she had not been heard.

Pauline started to say something but seen John give her a warning look.

John turned to Karen, "You have mail."

"Mail? What sort of mail do I have? I never get mail." Karen said.

John layed the official looking envelope on the table in front of his daughter.

Pauline's eyes went wide. She just couldn't believe they were actually going to make **her **daughter go back to court on this.

Karen reached for the envelope and turned to leave the room.

"Karen Ann Duke!" Pauline called, "You get right back here this instance."

Karen stopped where she was, but actually considered going on up to her room.

John said in a more normal tone of voice than his wife had used, "Karen it doesn't work that way. Come on back here and open your court date so we can make plans to be there for you."

Karen wasn't really sure that she wanted her parents to be there, well at least not her mother.

Pauline's eyes flew wide at John's statement. Surely he didn't expect her to go to court and be looked at by half the town did he? She had never went with him, that had always been Jesse's role not hers.

Why couldn't Emily and Emma pick now to wake up, Karen wondered as she turned back toward the kitchen. She leaned against the door facing and began to open the envelope. She wanted this to be all over with but wasn't sure if she wanted the court date to be sooner or later as she was unsure exactly what would happen when she went back to court. Karen opened the envelope and pulled out the official looking paper. She noted that it was actually an official summons to appear in Judge Hardcastle's court at the Placid County Courthouse this Friday at 4 pm. _'Well, at least I don't have to get up early.'_ she thought as she looked up to see her parents waiting. "It's Friday at 4 o'clock, OK? Can I go to my room now?"

John nodded, "That will be fine. Dinner will be soon though."

Karen quickly headed for her room. Right now she wasn't so sure that her stomach could tolerate food the way it was flip flopping.

Pauline turned to John, "John David, surely you can't expect me to go to Courthouse again over this can you?"

"She's our daughter, Pauline. We need to be there for her." John said

"But, half the town will be there." Pauline replied.

John shrugged, "The ones that will be there will have their own problems, Pauline. They don't just show up at the Courthouse to watch cases because they don't have anything else to do like they do in the big cities. So get a sitter unless you want to take the twins. I'll make arrangements with the men to leave early Friday. Now I'll get cleaned up." He said as he walked toward the bathroom.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

After what was a very quiet dinner, Karen was washing the dishes, John was drinking his coffee and playing with Emily and Pauline had Emma. Other than the everyone but the twin infants, everyone seemed a bit quieter this evening than normal.

Karen nearly jumped out of her skin when the phone rang.

Pauline started to get up to answer the phone when John said, "Karen can you get the phone please?"

She was grounded from the phone, but was also closer to it. "Sure, Daddy. Duke Farm, this is Karen."

"Well, hello there! How's my girl?" The voice on the other end asked.

"I'm fine Uncle Jesse, but I'm grounded from the phone. Do you need to speak to Dad?" Karen asked.

Jesse replied, "Yes, please."

Karen handed the phone to her father and took Emily who was not happy about loosing her playmate. "It's Uncle Jesse."

"Jesse, John here." John said.

Jesse could hear Emily fussing, "Did I make someone mad?"

"Karen took Emily so I could talk to you. She must not have had enough time on her old man's lap." John replied.

"If you acted half as old as you let on to be I wouldn't be calling you right now." Jesse said. He looked up to see John's son who was nearly old enough to give his father the grief that John had been giving Jesse himself for years.

John grimaced. He knew his brother's tone and he wasn't happy about something. "So why are you calling?"

"I have an envelope here addressed to you." Jesse said.

John swore inwardly. "When?"

"I haven't opened it yet. It's addressed to you." Jesse said.

"Go ahead and open it. We both know what it is." John hoped that it was not the same day as Karen's court date.

Jesse looked up at the four sets of eyes on him as he opened the enveloped addressed to his brother, then took out the Summons to Appear. He scanned the paper and replied, "This Monday, 9 am."

"Alright, thanks Jesse. I'll call you back and let you know when I'll be there." John said.

Jesse replied, "You know you are welcome anytime. So are the others."

"Thanks. I'll likely let you know my plans by tomorrow if not later this evening." John said, then added, "I'll talk to you soon."


	57. Worry and Waiting

I'm on a working (or learning) vacation of sorts this week. Vacation from the job, but going to classes for the fire department two counties away from home. Got to the resort just before the big snow hit. My other guys had classes yesterday and today but I've had them, so I've had two days free for some R&R. My classes start tomrrow, so I'm posting today while I had some time to write and proof it. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 57

After cleaning up the kitchen and helping get the girls ready for bed, Karen headed off to her room finally. She would really liked to have called at least one of the others to see if their court dates were at the same time, but with everything that had gone down with Danny this morning, Karen knew that there was no way that she would be allowed any privileges for a long while.

Alone in her room, Karen almost felt like she may have well been in a jail cell as to be here. She wasn't allowed to listen to her stereo, use the phone, have friends over or go out. Then, she thought about going out last night and Danny. Both times they were out with their friends, things seemed right, felt good. The trouble was maybe she had let herself feel just a bit too good for her own good. Karen knew that ever since she had learned that her mother was pregnant with Emily and Emma, that she had given her mother grief. It hadn't helped that she wasn't just pregnant, but pregnant with TWINS no less. Now, even if her parents hadn't chosen to let anyone else know, Karen knew that in a few months there was going to be another crib in the nursery.

At age eighteen, Karen was sure she and her friends were doing exactly what was expected of them to be doing at their age, however, for her parents to be doing the same things at their age, well that was just repulsive! Then, she thought about Jeb over in Hazzard for the summer. He was younger than her, yet he got a 'vacation' away from here and their parents to spend the summer with their Uncle Jesse and cousins, Bo, Luke and Daisy, while she stayed here and changed diapers and got spit up on!

Karen felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as she layed her hand on her flat belly. She prayed that she was not pregnant. Sure going out with Danny had been 'fun' and felt 'good' but she wasn't at all sure that she liked him and heaven forbid that she wanted to marry him. Karen was thankful for one thing, Jeb was out of the County and she hoped that he had heard nothing about her current situation. With luck she would get a large fine, take on a part time job, pay it and be done with this whole mess before he got home. Jeb may be younger, but he surely treated her as if he were the older, protective brother.

_'Friday, Friday afternoon. Oh, Lord.'_ Karen thought as she suddenly felt deathly ill and ran for the bathroom! As she threw up, memories of the few hours she and her friends had spent behind the locked steel bars flooded her mind.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

After Karen headed to her room and John helped Pauline get the twins settled for the night, he took his coffee cup out to the porch swing and began some soul searching himself. As he gently moved the porch swing back and forth with one foot, John thought back to last weekend. Specifically, the twelve hours or so that he and Campbell were locked up downstairs in Rosco's Iron Bar Hotel. It was nothing that he hadn't been through before, though it had been fifteen or so years since he'd found himself as a Sheriff's overnight guest. Not that John was looking for a repeat reservation or anything, but at this point he could not discard the possibilities of such a stay. He could only hope that at this point, that come Monday he'd be a few dollars poorer.

When Pauline had the twins taken care of, she poured her a cup of coffee and headed to the porch.

John moved so that she could join him on the swing. Both sat there listening to the crickets and the occasion squeak of the old porch swing chain as they gently swung. Finally, John said gently, "Are you going to Hazzard with me?"

Pauline was a bite surprised by John's question. All the times he'd gotten a bit too wild at the bars, Jesse had always been the one to go with him and handle things. She answered honestly, "I haven't given it much thought."

"You know you and the kids are welcome on the farm. You could visit with Jeb and with all the extra hands around it may be easier with Emma and Emily, than with only you and Karen home." John reasoned.

Pauline turned a bit to quickly towards him, "John David you aren't telling me that you expect to go to jail for this mess do you?"

John looked at the porch floor a full minute before he looked up at his wife and mother of his children, "I'm not really sure right now what to expect, Pauline. It has been a number of years since I've showed myself, but if that Judge digs up my file, ..." He left the sentence unfinished. "The circumstances were a bit different, but you remember we have a nephew who just cooled his heels for ten days over a fight."

"But, John David, that was different, he'd been doing all sorts of fooliness along with fighting." Pauline reasoned.

John was silent for a long while before he added, "Yeah, he had been, but I, ... swung first this time Honey."

0101010101010

In Hazzard, Jesse was also enjoying a bit of cool air on the front porch swing with a cup of coffee and the occasional sound of a whippoorwill.

That's where Jeb found him, when he'd been able to slip off from Bo and Luke, who were up to their elbows in a car engine. Jeb took a seat on the porch banister and pulled his feet up to his chest balancing on only the small board.

Jesse waited a few minutes, but when Jeb hadn't said anything at all he asked, "Something wrong?"

Jeb shook his head no ever so slightly, "Nah, why?"

"It's not often any of you three would rather spend time sitting with me out here rather than workin' on a car." Jesse said.

Jeb frowned for two reasons: One, his Uncle Jesse was dead on the money, there was something bothering him. And, two, the three of them would normally be doing anything other than sitting still for five even five minutes on a Saturday night.

NARRATOR: "And Jeb's five minutes was up five minutes ago."

For the first time Jeb admitted to his Uncle Jesse what he'd told the others awhile back, "Well, Bo and Luke are the ones all fired up about cars Uncle Jesse."

Jesse looked at Jeb, "So just what gets you all 'fired up'?"

Jeb shrugged his shoulders and smiled slowly, "Dirt bikes."

If Jesse would have reached up and touched his head he could have picked out those new grey hairs he just felt coming in. "Dirt bikes?" Jesse asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Sir." Jeb said trying to hide the grin he felt at seeing Jesse's face.

"Well, now what in tar nation got you interested in them?" Jesse asked.

Jeb admitted, "I've got a couple friends, who have a couple of friends, and I've been there when they get together to race their bikes."

"Now, just hold up here. You not only like dirt bikes but are wantin' to race them?" Jesse asked.

Jeb smiled, "Oh, no. I'm not wanting to race them."

Jesse breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, that is better."

"I've already been racing 'um." Jeb clarified.

"You've WHAT?" Jesse exclaimed louder than he meant to. He knew that there was no way Pauline would approve and he wasn't real sure John would either.

Jeb added, "And, I'm pretty good at it, too. In fact, the money I've won racin', along with what you give me this summer should about have Blake's old bike paid for."

"Blake?" Jesse asked, "Now, who is the Blake person?"

"It's my friend's, buddy. He just got a bigger bike and all, and he knows how much I want to get my own, so he said he'd hold the other one for me." Jeb said. He wasn't sure how this conversation had gotten started, but Jeb figured that it was largely due to him choosing this topic over what he'd really come out to talk to Uncle Jesse about.

Jesse asked slowly after taking a drink of Luke warm coffee, "Your folks know about all this?"

Now, Jeb was regretting starting this particular conversation, "Ummm, ... well, ... you see, ..."

"What I see is that you have been out doing things and takin' risks without them even knowing about it." Jesse said. "Now it's one thing to know your youngins' are out doing foolish things and might get hurt, but it's something totally different when you think they are out havin' an ice cream soda and they get hurt racing a motor-cic-le."

Jeb wasn't sure that he understood the difference. He could trip and fall and break an arm in town just as easy as he could racing, and either way his arm would still be broke, but he'd go along. "Yes, Sir."

"Now, what is really bothering you?" Jesse asked.

Jeb looked out at the lights of the barn a long while before he turned back to his Uncle, "Karen called the other day, to tell me something that she thought I should know, ... Mom's pregnant, again."

Jesse couldn't stop the smile on his face. He loved having babies around and by the looks of it his youngest brother did too. "Well, now that is fine news."

"No, it's not, besides it sure has Karen worked up." Jeb said.

Jesse thought for a minute, "Jeb why do you suppose Karen called you and not your folks? Did they tell her and not you?"

"Well, I really don't think that she has been officially told, but she said she was sure she heard the 'P' word the other day." Jeb explained.

Jesse frowned, "The 'P' word?"

Jeb said with just a hint of a grin, "Pregnant, Uncle Jesse."

"Oh, ... Oh, ... Ok, I see. So, she overheard this information and passed it onto you before your folks actually talked to her? I spoke to Karen briefly last night when I called your Pa, she told me she was grounded from the phone. Was she grounded when she talked to you?" Jesse asked because he wondered if she was already previously grounded or had gotten grounded for telling about her mother's condition without her parents talking to her.

Jeb didn't want to rat on his sister but he'd been asked a direct question and knew better than to lie to his Uncle, "I'm pretty sure that she was grounded when she talked to me, but it was something she felt was important I know and it was only a couple minutes. Uncle Jesse, please don't let Mom and Dad know she called. From what I gathered she is in enough trouble."

Jesse took a sip of his now cold coffee, "So what did she tell you that she did to get herself grounded?"

"Well, she didn't tell me anything about why she was grounded, but when I called around to a couple friends I pretty much got the story. Ya, see Uncle Jesse, Karen never gets in trouble except for maybe talking back to mom or not doing her chores right or something simple like that. What I found out, well it makes Luke's fight small potatoes especially considering it was KAREN!" Jeb stressed his sister's name.

"What did she do?" Jesse asked.

There was only one way to tell it, Jeb stated, "She got arrested."

"ARRESTED!" Jesse both exclaimed and questioned. "For what?"

"Well, I'm not sure exactly but from what I heard happened, it can't be good." Jeb said.

Jesse asked further, "What did you hear?"

Jeb actually felt himself blush as he began, "Well, it seems Karen and some friends went to the movies, afterwards they decided to go to the lake. Once they got there, someone had some alcohol. I heard it was beer, and one thing lead to another, and, ... um, ... well it seems the girls and guys had gotten pretty drunk and pretty close, then the law showed up."

Jesse replied, "When did all this happen?"

"From what I hear, the same night that Dad was arrested, which is likely why Mom wanted him back in Placid pronto." Jeb said.

"It's likely part of it." Jesse nodded, as he began to study his brother's situation. Life with Pauline under these circumstances had likely not been pleasant. Jesse figured he'd make a point to try to talk to Judge Hardcastle tomorrow after church. He still had a gut feeling that he still hadn't gotten to what had made Jeb seek him out. "So, are you ready to tell me what is really bothering you?"

Jeb looked at his uncle for a moment before asking, "Is there anything you don't know about us?"

Jesse gave him a wink and a grin, "Well, right now it is what exactly is eating at you."

With a sigh, Jeb began by summing it up in one word, "Mom."

Jesse remained silent to let Jeb continue.

"I'm here. Mom has the twins, assuming Karen was right, and is pregnant again. If things go bad for Dad on Monday, ... Karen will have to go to court too, ... Then, what about Mom?" Jeb asked.

Jesse smiled at his nephew. He was proud of the boy for his concern for his mother. "Jeb I'm proud of you for thinking about your mother, but this is your summer off from school and other than helpin' out around here you should be worrying about enjoying your summer. Leave the serious stuff to us adults while you can."

"It's just that takin' care of the twins isn't real easy, believe me I know." Jeb replied remembering the first times he'd had to watch his sisters alone.

"I'm sure that it's not easy, but you have to remember that your mother is a bit more experienced with babies than you are, so its not as hard for her." Jesse reminded. "As for your father, this is the first time in years that he has gone before a Judge and with Karen it is her first time, so I'm figuring things may not be as bad as you think they may be."

"You really think that it will be alright?" Jeb asked sounding a bit hopeful.

Jesse reassured his nephew, "All we can do is wait and see, but whatever happens we'll get through it, together. Your mother sometimes tries to keep her distance from us Dukes, but she is a Duke and we take care of our own. So why don't you just head on back out to the barn and be a teenager while you can. Because before you know it you know it you'll be an adult and have worries of your own.

"Thanks Uncle Jesse." Jeb said as he got down from the banister and headed back to the barn. He had to admit, he did feel some better after talking to his uncle.

01010101010101

As the congregation was leaving the small church in Hazzard, Jesse Duke managed to catch up with Judge Hardcastle. "Milt can I speak to you a moment?"

Hardcastle turn to see Jesse Duke, "Sure Jesse. What is it?"

Jesse began, "I'm sure that you know that my younger brother, John Duke, has court with you in the morning."

Hardcastle had already gone over his weekly docket before leaving for church. "Yes, I believe he does."

"I just found out that I also may have a niece that you might have seen over in Placid County." Jesse added.

"A niece in Placid County?" Hardcastle questioned.

Jesse replied, "Actually it is John's daughter, Karen Duke."

Hardcastle thought for a minute, and then remembered that he had seen another Duke on the docket. She had been one of the girls in a group that had been caught at the lake. "Yes. I remember now. From what I remember they were actually arrested on the same night."

"That's the way that I heard it too." Jesse admitted. "Look Milt, I know you have a job to do and will do it. I'm not trying to even ask you not to, but John and his wife also have infant twin daughters at home. Their son is here with me for the summer. If everyone is gone from the home at the same time, my sister-in-law will more than have her hands full."

Hardcastle understood completely, "Say no more, I can see what you mean. I'll have to see what happens in court but I'll see what I can do."

Jesse replied, "Thanks, Milt. Anything you can do is appreciated."

010101010101

Ok, now it's your turn. Please review to let me know if you all are still with me out there. There is a few things that need to happen before they get to court to get this all worked out but dooms day is near!


	58. Getting Aquainted and Caught Up

Thanks for sticking around. The end is in sight again, if the characters don't lead me off on another path. Real life has thrown up a more than a few road blocks up in the path of creative writing. One is being scheduled to work over our regular 40 hours, this week we are scheduled to work 60, if no one calls in!

01010101010101

Chapter 58

As he was expected to do John Duke had taken care of his Sunday morning chores, cleaned up, dressed and taken his wife and daughters to church. He'd impatiently sat through what seemed like an extra long, yet far too short a sermon. Pauline had elbowed him more than once for fidgeting, but John knew that once church was over they would playing host to Karen's, ... well he wasn't sure exactly how to label the guy who had taken his oldest innocence. Then after they got through that, John would likely be heading to Hazzard so that he'd be ready for court in the morning. He hadn't called Jesse yet to tell him to expect him because he wasn't sure how this dinner with Danny would turn out. Of course, Pauline hadn't really ever gave him an answer to his question about going with him to Hazzard, either.

When church was finally over John made his way over to Earl. Without telling him what exactly was going on, John said, "Earl, I need to head over to Hazzard. I plan to take care of things this evening them head over there. I'm not sure when I'll be back so I'll need you to take care of at least the basic stuff until I get back. I'd also appreciate you checking on Pauline and the girls while I'm gone, that is, if they don't go with me."

Earl seen that John was totally serious. "Sure, John, you can count on me. Is everything alright? I hope no one is sick or hurt."

John knew he should explain, but merely replied, "Everyone there is fine, I just have some business to take care of over there." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't far from one. John added, "Earl, I could be gone a few days."

Earl replied confidently, "I'll take care of things." Earl had felt that it should have been him, not John, taking care of things all along. 

John put his hand on Earl's shoulder, "Thanks, Earl. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Pauline seen John talking to her brother when she had a hundred things to do to finish dinner before they could eat. When John finally got closer she asked, "John David what are you doing wasting time when I have things to attend at home?"

"I was making sure things go smoothly while I'm in Hazzard." John replied as he opened the car door for Pauline to put Emily in the car seat. John then stepped toward Karen who was holding Emma and talking with Danny. "I'll take Emma. You can ride over with Danny." John paused but added, "We'll be right behind you."

Karen rolled her eyes heavenward at her father's reminder as she headed off with Danny to the car he had borrowed from his father. "How did you get the car while you are grounded?"

Danny replied simply, "He knows you father, ... and knows if he isn't watching me, your father will be."

01010101010101

At the Duke Farm in Placid County, Danny was just opening the car door for Karen as John and Pauline pulled in beside them. He told Pauline as he was putting the car in park, "You run ahead and do all those things you needed to do."

"But, John David, the girls will surely need changed and then out of their church dresses." Pauline reminded.

John smiled, "I'll take care of that, run on along Dear."

Pauline frowned but did as John David said. It was the first time in months that she had gotten out of the car carrying only her purse.

When John got out of the car he called to Karen, "Your mother has somethings to do before dinner. Ya'll wouldn't mind taking the girls inside would you?"

Karen bit her tongue before replying, "No, not at all." She promply rolled her eyes again, careful that only Danny could see her do it. Then, she went to take Emma from her father. "Danny this is Emma. She is the one I had at church. Just support her head."

"Ummmm, I'm not real sure about this." Danny said, hesitant to take the infant.

John nearly barked, "Son, you better get real sure real da- quick."

Karen had already seen what her father was up to. It was nothing that she and Jeb hadn't been doing since the twins came home from the hospital, but Danny on the other hand had no clue what her father was trying to accomplish. She hoped he figured it out really quick or she could get him alone to explain real soon.

"Ummm, Ok?" Danny replied as he took the infant and held it like it were hand blown glass.

"Good, as Karen said, this here is Emma. Karen will get Emily." John started steering the young man toward the house, "You can just keep Emma entertained while Karen gets Emily changed and comfortable, then you can meet Emily while she changes Emma. You see, everyone pitches in around here. Her mother has things to do so that we can eat a good meal soon." John seen the young man very much wanting to ask him what he was going to be doing while they took care of the infants and Pauline finished dinner. He gave him just enough time to see the young man decide against asking him what his part in all this was before he added, "As for myself, I'm going to fix a couple fresh bottles for my girls, change out of these fancy clothes and then set the table."

Some how to Danny that seemed that Karen's father got the easy things out of the lot but he seen Karen shoot him a look that told him to hush.

Pauline soon had dinner finished, John had the table ready, and thanks to Karen and Danny, Emily and Emma were changed, fed and down for a nap. The four adults took their seats at the dining room table. Pauline insisted that John say grace today. The four then went about the business of filling their plates. Even if the room held a tension all it's own, each enjoyed the quiet meal.

"Karen will you help me in the kitchen with the coffee and pie?" Pauline said as she seen everyone finishing up.

Karen replied, "Sure, Mom."

While the women were in the kitchen, John took the opportunity to talk to Danny, "So, Danny have you received your court date yet?"

Danny swallowed the bite of food in his mouth before replying with a sigh, "Yes, Sir. Friday afternoon."

John nodded, "I figured they would be about the same time. Karen got hers the other day for Friday also. Come on and we'll get the evening chores done while they get the pie."

Danny frowned and stood to follow Karen's father, as he saw no way to get out of helping with the evening chores.

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Jesse hung the phone up and turned to the teens behind him, "Daisy you need to make up your room for Pauline and John. Boys get things ready for Daisy and Karen to take over your room, you all will be bunking in the barn."

Daisy was beaming, "The twins can stay with me and Karen!"

Jesse replied, "That will be up to John and Pauline."

Jeb said sarcastically, under his breath, "Karen will be thrilled."

Daisy shot Jeb a look wondering why Karen wouldn't be thrilled to have the twins in their room.

Jeb on the other hand had roomed beside the twins since they had been in this world. Karen had also roomed on the other side of the twins room. They were both convienced that there was no better means of birth control for teens than to have infants one room away.

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The Hazzard County Dukes spent the next couple hours preparing for company. Dinner was ready to put on the table as John and Pauline arrived with the twins and Karen.

Jeb had to admit only to himself that he had missed all his sisters, but he'd not be caught dead admitting that to anyone else.

After everyone was settled and the luggage put up, everyone settled down to a Sunday supper fit for a king. The Hazzard Dukes had opted for a light meal at lunch while John, Pauline and Karen had ate a larger meal while hosting Karen's guest. Jesse had went all out for the final meal of the day. After everyone had ate their fill, Jesse, Pauline and John retired to the porch while the teens headed for the barn as the twins napped in the living room.

The group of younger Dukes has barely gotten to the barn before Jeb had to ask, "So what is this about you and Danny?"

"None of your business." Karen replied in true sisterly fashion.

"Oh, but I intend to make it my business the first good chance I get." Jeb informed her.

Karen's face flashed red in anger, "You wouldn't?"

"Wouldn't I?" Jeb stated.

Karen looked from Jeb to Bo, then Luke and finally Daisy. Each of her cousin's expressions told her that not only would Jeb, but that they would each be glad to join him. That meant that they all likely knew more about what had happened with Danny than she wanted any of them to know. _'Good ol' Placid County!'_ she thought. "Look I don't know what you heard but, ..."

"Then suppose you tell me what happened so I can stop thinking the worst about somebody I thought knew better than to cross me." Jeb said.

"Cross you? What concern is it of yours what I do?" Karen shot back, then added, "In case you forget I'm YOUR older sister, you aren't my keeper!"

Luke for once was glad that he was the oldest. At least Daisy could never use that particular arguement against him when he was trying to look out for her welfare.

Daisy on the other hand was now divided: First she agreed with the boys about looking out for her cousin, but secondly she knew how it was when Luke and Bo tried to get too much in her business.

"I never claimed to be your keeper but from what I hear, you just might need one!" Jeb shot back.

Karen shot back in a voice louder than necessary, "So, just **WHAT** did you hear?" 

Luke was glad that they were well away from the house before this conversation had started.

"That not only did Danny get you arrested but got you drunk and took advantage of you." Jeb said matter of factly.

Between the stress of her upcoming court date, her father's own court date tomorrow, her mother's pregnancy, being grounded and now Jeb, Karen was fed up. She drew back and slapped Jeb, then turned and bolted from the barn.

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	59. Brothers Concern or Bossy?

Whheeeewww! Sorry it has been so long between posts. Writers block complicated by 'real world drama' - short handed at work, family surgery, and an online duty death of a County EMS worker has taken there toll on me. Hope to do better in the future! but currently still being scheduled for 60 hours a week, not to mention added call ins. Good money but I'm old and TIRED!

Thanks to Vector 426, Long Live BRUCAS, and Ghostwriter for reading and reviewing Chapter 58. Also welcome aboard bjlucas! Always good to get reviews even on past chapters, so if you are a new reader or a silent and faithful reader, I love to know what you think. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 59

A year ago Karen would have gotten away with that move. Six months ago, she might have gotten away with it, but today was a different day and a different Jeb. In the last several months Jebb had grown at least another couple of inches right before everyone's eyes but not many had noticed.

Before coming to Hazzard, he'd been racing motorcycles behind his parents backs or at least out of their sight. He'd been making new friends and some were the type he knew his mother would never approve of, he wasn't even sure how his father would feel about the friends or the racing.

In the short while he'd been in Hazzard, he'd been in bars, out with girls, on whiskey runs and not just asked to help out but been expected to pull his own weight just like his older cousins did everyday. The fact that he had been taking on extra chores while he had been staying with his uncle had toned him just a bit more and made him more than a match for his sister. Jeb in fact beat her to the barn door and dropped the wooden latch as he grabbed his sister around the waist and took her back into the barn, "This, ... is between us. ... Keep it that way!" Jeb said while he managed to keep his struggling sister under control.

Karen was trying to pry out of Jeb's hold as she screamed, "Leave Me ALONE!"

Jeb held only on tighter. He knew Karen wanted the adults to hear what was going on, but he knew the chances weren't likely if he could keep her in the barn.

Luke knew he had to do something, yet this was a matter between his cousins. He motioned for Bo to go to the barn door to keep Karen inside. Luke said calmly, "Karen settle down. Jeb let her go." Both cousins met Luke with resistance. Luke got a bit louder as he repeated himself. "Karen settle down. Jeb let her go. I mean it. I don't need or intend to get in between you two, so stop it now before the others hear you two."

Jeb loosen his grip on Karen but hadn't taken his arms away from her waist.

Karen couldn't resist stomping Jeb's foot and elbowing him.

That had been enough to get Jeb to let go of his sister, who broke for the barn door to be met by Bo. Luckily for Bo, Daisy was by Karen's side, "Karen. Sugar, listen to me. I know better than anyone how much you don't want these guys in your business."

Karen shot Daisy a look and almost asked, 'How Daisy would know how she felt?' but then a third of the answer to that question was standing between Karen and the rest of the world.

As Karen turned back toward Jeb and Luke, it was Luke who spoke first, "Karen, look, ... all Jeb and any of us really care about is you. IF whatever happened was alright with you, then we'll all back down, ... but if this guy took advantage of you or used you, then we'll take care of that too."

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Jesse rocked his rocker gently as John and Pauline slowly swung the old porch swing. The evening was quiet with an occasional breeze drifting across the Duke land. Once or twice the 'kids' voices could be heard on the porch but the adults had no idea what was going on in the barn. After awhile Pauline went inside to check the twins and finish up things in the kitchen, but first brought out the rest of the pitcher of tea for them drink that evening.

John had just refilled his glass as the screen door closed behind his wife.

Jesse leaned up to make sure that his sister in law was indeed in the kitchen before he said with an evil grin, "So how did the castration go?"

John looked at his brother confused, "What?"

"Well, she is, ain't she?" Jesse asked still grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Is, ... what?" John asked still not following Jesse's train of thought.

"Oh, ... come on, ... I figured you'd surely make the official announcement at dinner. What are you waiting for?" Jesse inquired.

"I don't know what you are talking about Jesse. I'm not waiting for anything except to get tomorrow over with. What announcement was I supposed to make?" John said as he took a large drink of the cold tea.

"John, there is no need to keep it a secret, the kids already know Pauline is pregnant!" Jesse said.

The a fore mentioned tea hit the back of John's throat just as the phrase, 'the kids already know Pauline is pregnant!' hit his mind. The result was about like hot air and cold air hitting to make a thunderstorm. John opened his mouth to talk while still trying to swallow which caused him to get choked.

Jesse couldn't help but to laugh at John's reaction as he was still couching and gagging from the drink of tea that had went everywhere but where it should have gone.

Pauline suddenly appeared at the door, "John David are you alright?"

The nearly purple Duke looked up at his wife and managed to squeak out, "Fine. ... I'm, ... fine." Followed by a long intake of air.

Jesse managed to reach over and pat his younger brother on the back to help him get his breath.

Only after John had managed to get himself somewhat composed did he try to talk, "What? ... Are you talking about?"

"The kids heard that Pauline IS pregnant. You were worried about it. She is right?" Jesse asked.

Coughing to clear his throat again, John replied, "How would the kids hear anything like that?"

"So is she?" Jesse asked again.

"Well, you know I did admit to you how worried she was about it which had gotten me worried and into all this, " John waved his hands meaning his current situation with having to be in Hazzard for court tomorrow, before continuing, "and all, but, ..."

Jesse stopped him in his tracks, "John David first off that situation nor Pauline did a thing to get you into anything, you put yourself into the situation at the bar just like you put yourself into the situation to have to have been worried in the first place. Second of all, you still haven't answered my blame question."

John grimaced from Jesse's tone so he answered quickly, "Ok, sorry your right, I didn't answer you. No, ... no she's not. That's why I wonder what the kids think they know."

Pauline returned to the doorway just in time to hear John's last few words, "Kids think they know what?"

John and Jesse both knew how Pauline could be about such things, they looked at each other with a 'deer in the headlights' look before they both replied, "Nothing. Nothing at all."

Pauline frowned at both them, "Then I'll just go check on the girls if you two don't want to talk to me."

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Karen thought a long while before replying to Luke. She knew how the truth would make her look to the others, yet she didn't really want the others going after Danny either. After a lot of thought she finally answered, "Then, ... Ya'll can just back off." Karen turned back toward the barn door where Bo was still blocking her escape route.

"Bo." Luke said quietly a split second before Bo moved out of his cousin's way.

It was only after Karen had exited the barn did she realize that Luke had 'called Bo off'. Maybe she had misjudged her brother and cousin's concern. Maybe they were indeed concerned about her.

Daisy caught up with Karen as she stormed off. Once they were out of ear shot of the house and the barn Daisy said, "We all care about you, you know Sugar."

Karen stopped and was quiet a long time, before turning around, "Yeah. Yeah, I guess it just didn't seem like that at first."

"I may be younger than you, but like I said before, ... I know better than anyone how much you don't want the guys in your business. Being younger only makes them more apt to want to 'help' which I think is butting in, then they try to tell me what to do which makes me think they are trying to boss me around. You are lucky, most of the time you only have to deal with Jeb. I'm out number with Bo and Luke!" Daisy said.

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	60. A Little Girl Talk

Author's Note: This is a rather short chapter, but it is a rare look at the female Dukes. They are normally extremely hard for me to write, but in the past day or so Daisy and Karen have been screaming to be heard. So this chapter is dedicated to them.

Chapter 60

The girls continued to walk around the Duke farm while they caught up and talked girl talk. Karen told Daisy, "I'm sorry that I didn't come over with Mother when she brought Jeb over for the summer, but I stayed at home with the girls since she came over and right back home."

"Sugar, be glad you didn't come over then." Daisy said.

"Why?" Karen asked.

Daisy started to explain, "Well, that is right after Luke had gotten into that fight and then had been sentenced to ten days in jail."

Karen grimaced, "I heard some of the side winds of that. What really happened?" Then as an after thought she remembered her father was going to court on the same charge the next day, "He really got ten days for a fight?"

Daisy nodded 'yes', then replied, "He sure did, but from the way Luke told it and what I've heard he was out at the lake and you remember his ex-girlfriend Robin?"

Karen replied, "Well, I remember her, is she still his Ex-girlfriend or have they been back together fifteen times since?"

Daisy shrugged, "As far as I know she has been pretty much his ex-girlfriend since around Easter break. But, anyway, ... they were all out at the lake racing. Robin's new fella wanted to race Luke. Now he just had his car ready to paint, mind you it still isn't painted, but he raced the guy. From the what I know he thought they were playing bumper tag instead of drag racing. He ended up in the dirt after he lost control of his car so Luke, Cooter and the guys went to help get him unstuck. He must have really gotten stuck from how they told it, so while they were working to free the car Luke had gotten into the cooler for a beer or two. They finally get the car out of the ditch when the guy called Luke a CHEAT!"

"Oh brother! I take it that didn't go over real well?" Karen asked. She knew the family's pride and that tempers could run pretty high in her family.

"In a word, 'No.'" Daisy said, then added, "That seems to be about the time the fight broken out AND the Sheriff showed up."

Karen remembered that feeling, "Oh, no."

"Oh, yes." Daisy replied.

"Was Uncle Jesse real mad?" Karen asked.

Daisy just whistled at how mad their uncle had been, "I'll tell you I don't think I've seen him that mad in a long time and hope not to see him that mad for a long while, but what made matters worse is when he went to get Luke from the jail, he told Bo and me to stay home. Well, Bo being Bo, and we know how he gets when anything goes on with Luke was determined to go to town. I had wanted to go also but I didn't want to cross Uncle Jesse."

"I don't blame you there." Karen added.

"Well the thing is Bo was bound and determined to go to town, SOOOooo, if he was going I decided to go too." Daisy said.

Karen replied a bit shocked, "Oh no, ya'll didn't?"

Daisy painfully admitted, "Yeah, Sugar we did, but I don't think it is anything we'll repeat real soon after THAT trip to the woodshed."

It had been a long time since Karen had been whipped and even longer since she had been whipped by her Uncle Jesse, but she still remembered it. "Ouch."

"Yeah." Daisy replied.

As they continued to walk, Karen's mind had returned to the part of Daisy's conversation where she was telling her about Luke getting ten days for fighting. She had to admit if only to herself that she was beginning to get concerned about seeing the Judge on Friday. "Did you go see Luke? What was it like?"

"Go see Luke?" Daisy asked as her mine had already moved away from the earlier conversation.

Karen replied, "Yeah, you know. When he was in jail."

"Oh, ok. Yeah, of course I went to see him." Daisy replied, then continued after considering how to describe it, "It was horrible. I mean there is no way I wouldn't have gone to see Luke, but for starters, it was so hot down there."

Daisy continued, "You know, Luke has always been the rough and tumble kind of guy. I guess he's always been, ... well I guess it's silly now, but as a kid I always thought of him as my own personal 'Superman', but to see him behind those steel bars dressed in that horrible bright orange jumpsuit, ... he just looked a lot different. It's hard to explain, but I just wanted to cry, but I knew that I couldn't because he didn't need that, too. As much as Luke tried to hide his feelings, you could tell us being there was hard on him."

"So if you all knew it was hard on Luke that you all went, then why did you go?" Karen asked.

Daisy gave a weak half smile, "Because we figured that thinking we were too busy or didn't care enough to be there would have been far worse on us all. Besides, the guy he was fighting with was in the cell beside him most of the time and he's a real creep. Other than him, us, when we were able to be there, and the officers that's all Luke had to talk to for a whole twelve days."

"I thought you said he got ten days for the fight?" Karen asked.

Daisy shrugged her shoulders, "He did, but then something happened and the Judge held them longer."

Karen frowned unhappily, "I didn't know they could do that."

"Evidently they can or Uncle Jesse wouldn't have let it happen." Daisy said confidently.

Karen nodded in agreement.

Daisy continued to tell her about the Ralph, "The whole time we were there that creep, Green, seemed to be undressing me with his eyes. I could just feel my skin crawl, so I started wearing a lot more clothes and looser ones when I was going to Luke. It got so bad that a couple times I found reasons not to go see Luke, which broke my heart, but I knew if he found out what that jerk was doing to me, it would have been really bad. There was only a set of bars between them and frankly I don't that would enough to save the guy from Luke, which would have made matters worse for Luke."

"Green?" Karen asked.

"Yeah, Ralph Green. Hey I think he is from Placid County. Do you know him?" Daisy asked.

Karen frown, "Well, what I know about him isn't anything good."

Daisy asked, "So why all the questions about Luke?"

"Hey he's my cousin too you know." Karen defended.

"Yeah, I know." Daisy replied, then remembered that Karen was likely worried about her father's court date tomorrow, "Don't worry things will be better for Uncle John tomorrow. Like I said, Luke had more stuff against him. Besides, it's everyone here's idea that the Judge was trying to teach Luke a lesson.

Karen asked, "Did it work?"

Daisy replied, "I don't know. I guess we just got to wait and see or you could ask Luke and see what he tells you."

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	61. Girl Problems!

Chapter 61

The three male Duke cousins had watched first Karen bolt from the barn followed by Daisy. Now they stood alone in the barn exchanging looks with one another. Bo wasn't certain that he should have gotten out of Karen's way even after Luke told him too.

Jeb had wanted to follow his sister then either talked, or knocked, some sense into her head. He could not figure out just what she had been thinking. With helping take care of the twins as much as they had been, surely she wasn't like some of the girls he'd seen in school ready to graduate, get married and start her own family the following summer. Jeb thought for sure that Karen would have other plans.

As for Luke, he was now second guessing ever getting involved between a brother and a sister. No matter what the out come, he stood to be the loser in the end. Before any of the three could make a move to talk this out, Luke heard his Uncle Jesse calling him from the house. Luke started toward the house, leaving Jeb and Bo to figure out what to do about Karen.

Luke reached the porch to find Jesse, John and Pauline on the porch. Jesse said, "Phone is for you. It's Bill."

Luke frowned. He could not figure out why Robin's father was calling for him as he went inside and picked up the receiver, "This is Luke."

"Luke, this is Bill. I know I'm about to put you in a awkward position, but I need some help with my truck. Mark thought he knew how to wire up a new stereo I got. I'm not sure what he did but I don't have any power anywhere. Normally, I'd run it up to Cooter's but it won't even crank and I need it to go to work bright and early in the morning." Bill said as his annoyance with his oldest son came out loud and clear.

There were now several things running through Luke's mind. First he was still technically grounded. Then there was all the fall out with Ralph which basically lead back to Robin, who may or may not be home. Deep down Luke knew it really didn't matter to him if Robin was home or not, her father had always been good to him. True, there had been a time that he wasn't at all happy that it was Luke showing up to see his only daughter, but the two had worked things out and had gotten pretty close before things had fallen apart with Robin. As far as Luke knew he was the only one outside their family to have driven every vehicle they owned, including the a fore mentioned prized truck of her fathers.

Luke did the only thing he knew to do under the circumstances. He replied into the phone, "Give me a second." Then, stuck his head back out the door, "Bill needs some help with his truck. Is is alright if I head over there for a little while?"

Pauline frowned at the thought of her nephews friends calling him away from his family at such a time of day.

Jesse seen her look and knew what was sure to follow if he agreed to let Luke go. He replied, "Can't Mark help him?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders a bit, "It seems that Mark has already helped wire a stereo up to the point that Bill can't even get it to crank." He explained, then added for good measure, "He needs the truck in the morning for work."

Jesse knew as well as Luke did the complications of Luke going to help Robin's father, yet he also knew that her family had treated Luke nothing but good. Jesse said with a warning tone, "Alright, you can go, but remember it is Sunday and you are just starting to heal up."

"I'll remember. Thanks Uncle Jesse." Luke said as he ducked back in the door to tell Robin's father that he'd be over soon.

Pauline couldn't hold it any longer, "Jesse that's not like you to let one of the kids little friends call them away from company."

John shook his head at his wife even before he heard Jesse's explanation.

"Pauline, the 'little friend' that is needing Luke's help is his friend's father. Evidently, his son thought he knew how to wire up a stereo and now his truck is out of commission. As you heard, the man needs his truck for work in the morning. He wouldn't call for help unless he really needed it." Jesse promptly finished the conversation.

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Karen walked in silence a long while, before she admitted, "You know Daisy, I am concerned about Dad going to court tomorrow and all but, ... you heard Jeb tonight. I'm sure you all know what happened to me."

Daisy replied, "Well, I know you've been grounded you told me that yourself. Jeb may have told the others more, but I really only know what he said in the barn."

"Well, it started out when one of Jeb's football buddies asked me out. Mom said, 'No.' which I still haven't figured out because I had done everything that needed done around the house before I even brought it up. Usually she is all about wanting me to get serious about a good man, but it's hard to know if they are a good or not if you never go out with them. Anyway, Dad told me to tell her I was going to a friends and meet him in town. I didn't want to lie to Mother, so I called Charlene and asked could I stay over. So the plan was we would meet the guys in town for a movie and head over to her house for the night." Karen paused, "That was the plan."

Daisy asked, "So what went wrong?"

Karen explained, "Right then, nothing really. We went to the movies had a good time."

Daisy giggled, "HOW good of a time?"

"I'm getting to that!" Karen laughed at her younger cousin, "As good a time as you can have in a crowded movie theater with everyone there know you. But, after the movies someone suggested going out to the lake for a swim. Well, even planning to stay at Charlene's I didn't have a swim suit, so I was going to have to decline."

That has all sounded reasonable to Daisy, "Right. Go on."

"So when I said I couldn't because I didn't have a suit, ... that's, ... when I was informed that they hadn't brought anything to swim in either." Karen paused for her younger cousin's reaction.

Daisy gasped at the thought of the situation, then asked, "Sooo, what did you do?"

Karen blushed crimson, "I decided to go along."

"Really?" Daisy asked surprised.

"Yeah, like Danny said underwear covers more than most swim suits these days, so I went." Karen continued, "There was eight of us that had decided to head up to the lake in a friend's pickup truck. Once we got out at the lake there was a cooler that showed up from somewhere. The next thing I knew I was being handed a beer."

Daisy's eyes bugged out a little. She knew that all them had been allowed to drink some on special occasions at home, but she knew that drinking away from home was a very different thing.

Karen seen the look and held her hand up so she could finish, "Yeah, well it gets worse. I looked around and everyone had a beer and seemed to be having a good time, so I figured I'd take it. I planned to take a sip or so occasionally and that would be the end of it. First off, the first sip was terrible, but I played it off that it was just cold. After the first couple of sips though it wasn't so bad so I continued to sip on the beer, then another, ..."

"Oh brother." Daisy replied.

"Don't say that word at a time like this!" Karen said referring to the word 'brother'. Both girls had a good laugh before Karen continued, "Everyone had split up by now and Danny suggested a swim. Before I could reply he, ... kissed me."

Daisy was getting really interested in this story about now. She was a romantic at heart and had read every Harlequin Romance book that she could get at least three times. "Go on."

Karen bite her lip before replying, "Daisy I have been kissed before but NOT like that, ... there was butterflies in my stomach, my head was spinning and my body felt like it was on fire!" After a pause Karen went on, "We both went behind bushes to 'change', then we got in the water. We were getting closer and closer, then he, ... his hands, ... never mind." Karen said abruptly.

"Karen! Oh, but no! You ain't stopping this story THERE!" Daisy insisted.

Just thinking about the rest of the story, Karen felt herself flush as she blushed. "Well, for now I'll say that I did somethings that I'm not real proud of, ..."

Daisy was dying to ask what but didn't for fear her cousin would clam up on her again.

"Then we got out of the water and went back to the blanket. We drank some more, ... kissing some more, ..."

Daisy couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer, "Did you do IT?" She saw several emotions pass over her older cousins face.

Karen finally swallowed the lump in her throat and said barely above a whisper, "Yeah."

Daisy wanted more. She waited for Karen to finish the story, but the older cousin was silent. Daisy wanted more, she wanted DETAILS! "Really? Sooo, ... was it that bad? Did it hurt? Karen what's wrong?"

Karen was silent awhile longer before she replied, "What's wrong? Everything!"

"Why? I don't understand." Daisy said. "It seems like everything was going good, ..."

Karen cut her off, "Yeah, right up until the State Police showed up."

Daisy eyes flew open wide!

"Daisy, you don't understand. Everyone has been going and on about Luke getting into that fight and going to jail. He makes me look like a Saint!" Karen exclaimed.

Daisy tried hard to wrap her mind quickly around everything her cousin was telling her, "Oh, Sugar it can't be that bad."

"Can't it?" Karen asked, then started to explain her situation to Daisy, "First off, Dad has court tomorrow, if things go badly, Mom, the girls and I will have to go home. Daisy I have court on Friday. From what the Judge said that day, ... it could be bad, ..."

"Judge? So you got arrested?" Daisy asked. "How bad?"

"Yeah. Luke's ten days could be nothing compared to what the Judge say we could get." Karen replied.

Daisy tried to sound optimistic, "Look, Sugar, they did that to Luke too had him real worried and all and then he got ten days."

"There's more to it. If Dad goes to jail, ... and I get what I could get, ..." Karen couldn't bare to say or think about the real possibility of actually having to be locked up in jail for better than a year. "Mom has the girls, Jeb has his obligations here, and I heard Mom and Dad talking the other day. Daisy she used the 'P' word again."

Daisy gasped, "Oh MY God! Really? Your Mom is going to have another baby? That is Great!"

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When Luke came back out on the porch a few minutes later heading for his Torino, none of the adults missed the fact that he was freshly shaven complete with cologne and a clean shirt.

John gave Jesse a grin as he asked, "Does that boy always clean up to go work on a truck?"

"Wouldn't you if you were going to help your Ex-girlfriend's father?" Jesse asked with a mischievous grin.

John couldn't help but to laugh just before he saw the expression on his wife's face. He promptly sent her a warning look as he and Jesse enjoyed a good laugh.

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	62. Growing Pains Are we Kids or Adults?

Thanks to all who are following and especially those who take the time to review. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Chapter 62

Bo and Jeb heard Luke pull out of the yard heading for the road. Jeb asked, "Where's he going? I thought Uncle Jesse was still keeping close tabs on him."

"He is. I haven't a clue where Luke could be going or what was so important to have gotten him off the farm with everyone here." Bo said with a frown as he thought, _'Or better yet, why he didn't take us with him.'_

Jeb asked, "Do you think we should go find the girls?"

Bo wasn't so sure that was such a good idea, "I don't know, Jeb, you might want to let Karen cool down a little more."

"That's true," Jeb agreed, "But, if we don't settle it before we go to the house then she is sure to try to get me in trouble for something."

"She slapped you, how can that get you in trouble?" Bo asked.

Jeb frowned, "You haven't been around Karen much Bo, trust me if there is a way to turn it on me she will."

Bo still wasn't sure that it was such a good idea to find Karen before she cooled down, but it was Jeb's sister and Jeb's life, so he agreed to go along. "Alright, if you are sure."

The boys headed out of the barn and began checking places where they thought the girls could be.

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"No, Daisy that is NOT great!" Karen replied.

Daisy was a hopeless romantic and didn't see why it wouldn't be great if her uncle and aunt had another baby. "Well, why not?"

"Daisy! There are a number of reasons, ... first Mom isn't getting any younger, secondly she just had twins! Then there is this stuff with Dad, but mainly I end up watching the twins enough now. How much will I get stuck watching them if she has another baby?" Karen said selfishly.

"Come on Karen. I love to babysit. They are just so cute and adorable." Daisy replied.

Karen reminded Daisy, "That may be when you choose to watch them, get paid for doing so and then get to go home afterwards. I was the one who was embarrassed half to death every time Mom showed up at school last year. I'm the one who doesn't get to do things because I **have** to watch the girls. Then afterwards they are in the room right next to mine."

"Having babies in the house can't be that bad, besides it's nice to know your parents are still in love." Daisy said.

Karen looked at Daisy like she had two heads, "It's grose that they still do THAT!"

"Karen!" Daisy scolded. "It's not gross." Though she had to admit she couldn't picture her prime and proper aunt doing 'it' either.

"Yes, it is." Karen replied and shuttered at just the thought which cause both girls to laugh uncontrollably.

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As Bo and Jeb walked the Duke property, the girls were no where to be found. Jeb asked, "Aren't we near that old silver mine?"

Bo replied, "Yeah, it's not too far."

"You don't think they would be there do you?" Jeb asked.

"No, Daisy never did like going in there much and I'm not sure Karen even knows about it." Bo said.

Jeb added, "Well, we've looked about everywhere else there is to look."

Bo had to agree on that, "True, but you know Daisy, if she don't want to be found it's hard to find her. Say do you remember playing in the mine?"

Jeb smiled, "Sure I do."

Bo grinned mischievously, "I bet I'll ride a cart further than you will."

"You aren't suggesting what I think you are? Are you?" Jeb asked. He knew years ago they shouldn't have been playing in the old mine and that was a good five or six years ago.

"You ain't got chicken in your old age have you cousin?" Bo asked.

Jeb stood a little taller and replied, "Heck no! Come on."

"Race ya!" Bo said as he took off in front of Jeb.

Arriving at the mine entrance, the teens began moving the brush and boards that had been put there to block off the old mine. Inside, Bo dug around in his pocket for matches and lit a couple lanterns. The boys knew they would have to go to the end of the mine shaft to get the carts before the fun could begin. As they walked down the mine shaft they could hear the familiar sounds of the abandoned mine, old timbers creaked, water could be heard dripping in places, small rocks fell.

They lit more lanterns as they made their way to the carts. At the bottom each took a cart and began pushing it up the tracks of the mine. When they were younger it had taken both to push one cart up which they had both ridden down almost to the bottom before bailing out. Today, Bo's challenge would have them riding back down solo.

As Bo reached the third lantern he said, "This is where we rode from last."

Jeb nodded then looked back down the shaft. "Should we go up another light?"

"Let's make it interesting and move up two more." Bo suggested.

"Alright." Jeb replied automatically.

They pushed the carts up to the second lantern, Bo said, "Now here's the thing. Where ever you bail out you got to stay there so we can see who rides further."

"Alright. You go first." Jeb said figuring on riding until he saw where Bo bailed out and riding a bit further.

Bo nodded, "Ok." He took his cart pushed off and jumped in. The cart seemed to pick up speed much faster than Bo remembered. In fact about half way down the mine shaft, Bo was actually regretting this great idea of his. The cart was traveling at a pretty good speed when he reached the last light before the end of the shaft. Bo knew he had to jump out or he would be slung out when the cart reached the end of the track. Bo got ready and as he jumped the thought of, 'This is gonna hurt.' crossed his mind. The next thing he knew he was eating dirt and feeling rocks digging into him as he hit the ground as the cart crashed into the stop at the end of the tracks.

Bo got up, shook it off, dusted himself off, then yelled. "OK, come on down. I'm clear."

Jeb had heard the cart hit the stop, then heard Bo give him the all clear. He jumped in the cart remembering how much fun this had been years ago, even though they hadn't ever taken the carts up this far. Even with the cart traveling faster than it did years ago, Jeb was having fun, but he would admit only to himself that he did get the feeling that he should have jumped out a couple times.

As Jeb looked up, the last lantern before the end of the shaft was coming up. He saw Bo beside the track. Jeb got ready to jump, but waited until he had passed Bo. He jumped clear of the cart, then felt rocks digging into his leg as he slide to a stop. For some reason he seemed to have forgotten just how hard the landings were at the end of the ride.

Laying in the dust, Jeb took a minute to make sure that he hadn't actually hurt anything.

Bo yelled down to his cousin, "You just HAD to ride longer than me didn't you! Come on lets take one cart up and ride it down from the next light together."

Jeb spit out a mouth full of dust before replying, "Your on!"

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Luke took as deep a breath as he could with his broken ribs still taped up, as he turned off the main road onto the familiar side road that lead to his ex girlfriend's house. He could see the gate open long before he got to the house and though there was plenty of room to park, Luke opted to park in the wide spot across from the driveway gate.

Luke got out of the Torino, paused to tuck his shirt tail back in, then started across the road toward Robin's father.

Inside Robin had been on the phone with a friend. She knew the sound of the car out front without even going to the window. She said into the phone, "I'll call you back later." Hanging up the phone, Robin went to the window outside her bedroom. Standing behind the sheer curtain where she couldn't be seen she saw Luke was out of the car tucking in his shirt and then he walked over into the driveway.

Mark and Bill had the hood up on the truck as well as both doors. Luke could tell they were scratching their heads about why the truck wasn't starting. "What seems to be the trouble with it?" Luke asked as he got closer.

Mark replied, "I got the stereo in, turned the key on to try it and nothing. I even tried to start it and it won't even try to start."

Luke started around to the passenger side of the truck, "Did you check the fusses?" He was already reaching to open the glove box to get to the fuse box.

Bill had thought surely his son had already checked the fuses so he hadn't bothered to do so himself, but seeing the look on Mark face at Luke's suggestion wished that he had checked them himself.

"I never got any power to it. How could it blow a fuse?" Mark asked.

Luke now had the cover off the fuse box and pulled out the fuse that would control a stereo. The fuse was blown. "Do you have any fuses?"

"There should be some there in the glove compartment." Bill replied.

Luke replaced the fuse still uncertain what could cause the truck not to start if only a stereo fuse was blown. As soon as Luke turned the key the fuse blew again. He again replaced the fuse but started checking other fuses in the fuse box. Everyone he seen was blown. Luke looked over at the stereo that had been just put in. There had been no room for it in the dash, so Mark had used a CB mounting bracket to mount the stereo below the dash.

Luke cussed Ralph Green and his injured ribs, "One of you is going to have to come over here. I can't do what I need to do."

Bill pointed at Mark to get in the truck on the drivers side. Mark asked, "Ok what do you need me to do?"

Luke said, "Get down there and feel what is on the back side of the mounting bracket."

"I already checked it. There is nothing there." Mark said a bit defensively.

Luke replied, "Humor me, will ya?"

Mark shrugged and reached up into the dash where the mounting screw should be through the dash. As he felt for the screw something else hit his hand - several wires. Mark promptly swore! "Hand me a light."

Bill asked, "What is it?"

"Just give me a second." Mark shined the light up into the bottom of the dash and seen a nightmare. He had felt up into the dash and felt nothing before he put the mounting screw in, now he was seeing wires and a lot of them right where the screw came through the dash. He set off cursing a blue streak as he seen one nicked wire, a broken one, several more skinned wires, another broken one.

Luke shook his head, "Mark please tell me that screw didn't go into the main wiring harness."

"I checked it. I swear I did. I didn't feel any wires there." Mark said.

"How bad is it?" Luke asked since he couldn't get there to see for himself.

Mark let out a defeated sigh, "I don't know. A couple wires are broken, several more are skinned."

Luke looked at Bill, "I hate to tell you this, but I can't get down there to work on it right now, but from what he's saying, ... your best bet is going to be to call Cooter now and not risk making it worse."

"Call him." Bill said with a sigh.

With nothing working in the truck and Luke not really wanting to go in the house to use the phone he headed over to his car to radio Cooter on the CB.

Robin had brushed her hair and changed shirts before deciding that the trash needed taken out.

Cooter had said he'd be right over, so Luke turned around to go back to the pick up. Just as he started to cross the road a familiar car pulled up and stopped. Ruby was out of the car in an instance and had wrapped her arms low around Luke's waist and pulled him close, "Are you ever a sight for sore eyes! Where have you been?"

Luke's hands automatically found their way to Ruby's hips, "Home mostly." Luke replied.

"I was just heading out to meet a friend, but you have GOT to call me!" Ruby rubbed against Luke seductively.

"Count on it." Luke replied.

Ruby puckered up and kissed Luke long and hard before jumping back in her car and speeding off on her way.

As Luke started across the road he looked up, his eyes met Robin's for a brief second. In that second, a whole conversation was spoken between the two. Luke saw several emotions he couldn't quite nail down pass over Robin's face. He bit his lip, shrugged his shoulders, as his hands asked, _'What was I supposed to do?' _

Robin had heard before when she and Luke were broken up previously that Luke had been seen with Ruby, but for Ruby to seek him out at **her** house that was more than Robin wanted to deal with right now. She dropped the trash in the can and promptly stomped in the house to wash her hands of all the 'trash' that she had encountered outside.

Luke grimaced. He knew Robin was hot, but really couldn't see why she was or why she should be. She had broken it off with him. _'What does she expect me to do? Become a monk?' _He thought as he went back to Bill and Mark. "Cooter will be right over."

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	63. Just a Quiet Sunday Evening in Hazzard

Thanks to all who are following and especially those who take the time to review. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Chapter 63

Bo and Jeb found pushing one cart up together was far easier than pushing one each up the tracks of the mine. They got up to the next light and both were about to get in the cart when a rock about the size of a basket ball fell on the tracks above them. "Bo that was a pretty big rock."

"Yeah it was. We'll ride down this time and get the lanterns cut off, then head out." Bo reasoned.

They both climbed in the mine cart and took off down the tracks. They had went up further and with their combined weight the cart was traveling faster than it ever had with them both. They let out rebel yells and hooped and hollered all the way down the mine shaft. Seeing the last lantern coming into view, Bo yelled, "Jeb jump!"

Jeb positioned himself to jump, then quickly leaped from the cart.

Bo stayed in the cart until Jeb was clear and then he jumped.

Both Duke boys rolled clear of the cart and felt rocks digging into their jeans and their skin. Then the cart hit the end of the line with a crash that shook the mines. Timbers shook, dust and small rocks rained down on the two teenagers. Both made it back to their feet, brushed themselves off, then Bo took the lantern, "Come on, Cuz. I think we've about pushed our luck far enough."

Jeb followed Bo as he headed back up the mine shaft. Each stopped and turned off all the lanterns as they made their way to the exit of the mine. As they reached the last lantern the timbers in front of them gave a mighty groan as more rock, dust and debris fell.

Bo yelled, "Run for it Jeb!"

Jeb didn't need to be told twice as he was on Bo's heels, right up until Bo stopped dead in his tracks and threw his arm out to stop Jeb. The top was coming down in front of them.

"Get back!" Bo warned as he pushed Jeb ahead of him deeper in to the mine.

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At the McCormick home, Bill had seen both his daughter's wiliness to take out the trash as well as what appeared to be a coincidental encounter on Luke's part from the other female.

Luke rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm sorry about **'that'**." He pointed to the road where Ruby had stopped.

Bill replied, "No. It should be me who is apologizing. I knew things were tense between you two."

"That shouldn't, ... no doesn't, have anything to do with you, Mark or the others. I actually should have been around more than I have been, maybe then she'd be used to it by now, but this was her choice." Luke reminded.

Bill nodded. As much as he had not liked the idea of the oldest Duke boy calling on his baby girl, Luke Duke had managed to grow on him. In fact he had gotten used to the idea and now quiet frankly wished that his daughter would come to her senses and drop that Green fellow.

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When the dust settled, Bo and Jeb found themselves face down in the dirt with their heads covered by their arms. After spitting out the dirt they had tried to eat, each got up and shook off the fallen debris. Bo still had a hold on a lantern but it had went out in the co-motion. He fished for a light to relight the lantern. Once it was re-lite, it was obvious to both Duke boys that they were not going out the same way they had went into the mine.

Jeb asked, "There is another way out of here, isn't there?"

"I hope so, Cuz." Bo replied. They both knew there were several passages off to either side of the main shaft that the tracks ran into, but neither had really explored any of them. "See if you see another lantern and we'll start checking the side passages."

Jeb was not at all comforted by his older cousin's answer as he found another lantern and they started looking for another way out of the old deserted mine.

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Robin was glad that she was in the house alone as she let fly a string of curse words! _'Oh how I wished that Ralph were around, I'd have him come by and pick me up just for spite!' _Robin thought, then she remembered she had been asked out by several guys lately, especially since Ralph had, from what she understood, basically begged to spend ninety days in the Tri-County Jail. An evil idea crossed her mind as she reached for the phone, "Yes, connect me with the Edwards residence."

"Hello?" the male voice replied.

"Patrick? This is Robin. I've been thinking, you are right, there is no reason why I shouldn't let you take me out. As a matter of fact, are you busy now?" Robin asked boldly.

"Busy? No, no, not at all!" Patrick replied eagerly. He didn't have a clue that he was being set up.

Robin cooed, "That's great. I have **So** wanted to go out with you in your Chevelle!"

"I, ... we'll be right there!" Patrick was sure that if he stayed on the phone with Robin any longer he'd have to change clothes. He had no idea that there was only a couple reasons why she had called him. One was to make Luke jealous, the second was she wanted to ride in his car.

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Bo and Jeb made their way down the first smaller mine shaft on the left. The cave in had caused some debris to fall even in this shaft but as they went on they could feel the air getting warmer and it smelled fresher.

Jeb said, "Bo I think this was made as an air shaft."

"It could be and if it is then there is an opening down here somewhere." Bo replied.

"I hope so." Jeb said as they continued down the shaft.

Bo said, "Look there is a light up ahead."

They quickened their pace to get to the end of the tunnel only to find it was boarded and blocked off as the main entrance had been. It took both teens working hard to get the boards, tree limbs and other material used to block off and disguise the air shaft entrance.

It was only after Bo and Jeb both got out of the mine and into the evening sun that they realized just what a mess they both were. Since it was Sunday they had changed from church going clothes into decent clothes instead of their everyday work clothes. Both knees were out of Jeb's jeans, Bo had torn the leg of his jeans and a pocket hung off his shirt.

Jeb seen his arm was bleeding from either his landing on that last ride or trying to escape the cave in. He unthinkingly wiped his arm off on his shirt as they tried uselessly to to wipe off and clean up.

"Are you alright?" Bo asked after seeing Jeb's arm.

Jeb replied, "Yeah, its just a scratch."

Bo could tell by the sky that it was now late evening. "Come on. We need to get back toward the house."

Jeb nodded and followed. At the moment the fact that his mother was on the farm escaped him.

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Cooter arrived and parked the wrecker behind Luke's car across the road from the house. "So, ... Buddy Row, just what have you gotten into that you had to call the Master? I know if Luke couldn't fix it, it's bad." Cooter stated.

Mark and Luke started to reply together, but was cut short by Bill, "I was told when I got a new stereo for the truck that it would be simply to put in. Now, I can't even start the truck!"

Cooter grimaced, "Ok, that's not good. Have you all checked the fuses?"

Luke waved him off, "We've already found the problem, but thanks to Green I can't get under the dash to work on it. Besides, you're better at the spaghetti than I am."

"Yeah, well, just how bad is it?" Cooter asked nearly afraid of the answer.

"From what Mark said there's a few wires skinned, a couple broken in two, maybe more nicked and every fuse I checked was blown." Luke began to explain.

Cooter sighed as he started to get under the dash, "Get my tester out of the truck will ya, Luke?"

"Sure." Luke replied and headed to the wrecker compartment that held the tester and took it back to Cooter.

Cooter was busy checking wire circuits while Luke, Mark and Bill were ready to help anyway they could to get the truck up and running again.

It was just about then that Patrick Edwards showed up in his 1968 Chevy Chevelle Super Sport with a Chrysler 440 magnum engine in it. He had never been to Robin's house so when he came up the street and saw the driveway with several cars in it and the wrecker with another car that he couldn't see parked on the side of the road across from the house he pulled in behind the wrecker and blew his horn.

Bill mumbled something unintelligible then stepped out from behind the truck to see a car that he did not recognize. "Can I help you?"

A teen with blond / red hair with bad case of acne got out of the car, "Yes, I'm looking for Robin."

"Then get out of the car and knock the door like a gentleman. You don't just blow the horn here." Bill said sternly as he sized up the young man. This was not his daughter's type and had a feeling that the young man was about to get his feelings hurt.

Patrick got out of the car and made his way to the door.

Robin answered the knock on the door. "Hi, Patrick. Just let me get my purse." She stepped back to the bar and got her purse then went out the door, "Daddy I'll be back in awhile if that's alright."

Of the four men out by her father's truck it was hard to say who was more shocked that Robin was dressed and ready to leave with this young man. Her father finally managed to say, "Alright, just don't be late."

"I won't." Robin said as her eyes locked again with Luke's for what seemed a life time. She then turned and walked to Patrick's car where he held the door for her.

As Patrick started the car, Robin directed him to back into the drive way and turn around. Only as Patrick was pulling back out of the drive did he get a good look and Luke's car in front of the wrecker.

Robin smiled, "Show me what this thing can do."

Patrick smiled widely and arched the tires in the first three gears as he went off the street.

Even Cooter sat up at the sound of the powerful engine arching tires off the quiet street.

Luke felt all eyes on him. "Yeah, I get the feeling that was for my benefit."

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	64. Patching Things Up!

Thanks to all who are following and especially those who take the time to review. I hope you enjoy this chapter! A lot of things will be gettin 'patched up' here. Maybe it is something you want to see patched up.

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Chapter 64

As Daisy and Karen talked they were now heading back in the general direction of the house since it would be getting dark soon. Daisy asked, "Karen there still seems to be something bothering you."

Karen shrugged but nodded, 'yes'. "It's the whole thing about Court on Friday."

"You never did say what exactly they charged you with." Daisy said.

Karen looked down at her feet, "No, I didn't. Remember, I did tell you I did somethings I'm not real proud of. We were all charged with Underage Drinking and," Karen paused to let that sink in then added, "And, ... Indecent Exposure."

Daisy said, "That doesn't sound like it could be all that bad."

"The 'drinking' can be up to seventy two hours, but the other is up to twelve months." Karen explained.

"No. Surely they are just doing you all like they did Luke." Daisy said confidently.

Karen reminded, "And like you said the Judge tried to teach him a lesson with the ten days. I for one think I learned mine in a few hours."

Daisy tried to sound optimistic, "Maybe the Judge will think so too."

"Yeah." Karen nodded as they approached the farm house where Jesse, John and Pauline were still sitting on the porch enjoying the evening.

Pauline asked the girls as they came on the porch, "Would you two like to join us for a glass of tea?"

That was the last thing Karen wanted to do right now as she promptly rolled her eyes.

Daisy was more polite about the situation, "Not right now Aunt Pauline, I have some stuff I want to show Karen in my room."

Before Pauline could reply, John spoke up, "The girls are asleep in there. Would you two mind keeping an eye out on them and give Pauline a break this evening?"

Daisy eagerly replied, "Not at all Uncle John. We'll take really good care of them."

Karen wasn't really happy but replied, "Sure, Dad. We got them."

"I appreciate both of you." John said to the young girls as they went off to continue their girl talk.

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Jeb looked at Bo, "How do we explain coming in looking like this?"

"We were racing." Bo stated. For once he wished Luke had been with them to figure out just how to get out of the trouble that both boys were just now realizing that they would be in when they got to the house.

Both teens knew that Bo's idea was the truth, but it was far from the whole truth. It seemed the closer to the farm house they got the slower that they managed to walk.

Jeb noticed that Bo was even beginning to limp a bit. "Are you sure you are alright Bo?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" Bo asked.

"Well, if you keep limping like that Mom will be sure to call Doc out here." Jeb said as they were about to come around the barn.

Bo frowned. "I've seen enough of Doc for awhile. Hey, maybe we can go in the kitchen door and get cleaned up before they notice."

"I like that idea." Jeb agreed.

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As Bill watched the 'kids', he wanted to just come out and tell Luke and Robin that if they would just stop playing 'cat and mouse' that both them would likely be a lot more happy, but he'd seen them like this before. It was their business. He and Jesse Duke had long ago decided to stay out of their relationship. One thing that he did plan on doing was to have a nice long talk with that young man that just left with his daughter about **how** to call on his only daughter. He knew that his neighbors didn't care for the kids loud cars coming and going 'at all hours' and they certainly would not approve of just how the guy had left the street.

Cooter slide out from under the dash, "It really needs to go to the shop, but I can fix it for you to get to work and back tomorrow."

That sounded alright to Bill, "Alright."

"It may not look pretty under here, but it should work." Cooter warned.

"Do what you got to do. I'd rather not **have** to take the Firebird to work." Bill said looking at his oldest.

Mark cringed at the thought of **his** father driving his car to work.

"Luke can you grab the wire connectors and black tape?" Cooter asked as he pulled out his pocket knife to begin striping the wires that he'd have to splice together.

"Sure." Luke said as he went to the wrecker.

In no time at all Cooter had managed to splice the broken wires and tape up the ones that had been nicked or skinned. He was right all that tape didn't look pretty at all, but it should work. He then set to replacing all the fuses in the fuse box. "Alright, I think I've got it." Cooter said as he stood up from the truck. Cooter turned the key and the truck came to life, then he began checking the lights, the tape player and other items. "Alright, it looks like you are in business."

"Thanks, Cooter. How much do I owe you and Luke for all your trouble?" Bill asked.

Luke replied, "You don't owe me anything. I just came over to see if I could help."

"Don't worry about it right now. Just bring it in the shop and let me do it right and until then don't let anyone look at that mess under there. At least don't tell anyone the I did it!" Cooter smiled widely.

Bill extended his hand, "That I can live with. Thank you both."

Cooter and Luke returned the hand shake. Luke added, "I need to be heading out ya'll."

"You don't have to rush off. I was going to see if you both wanted to come in for something cold to drink." Bill said.

Cooter knew Bill's idea of something cold to drink and he pretty much had another idea in mind right about now. "Appreciate it but I need head on out. See you tomorrow when you get off."

Luke gave a slight grin, "There's at least a couple reasons I need to head on out too. I'd say the biggest is that Jeb's parents are over. I'm lucky to have been able to come over at all with company at the farm."

"Alright, then, tell John and Pauline I said 'Hello.' and I'm sorry that I called you away from company. I wouldn't have called if I knew you had company." Bill said.

Luke grinned again, "Don't worry about. Everyone needs a break from Aunt Pauline at times. I didn't mind a bit."

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Luke. Your Aunt Pauline is a good lady." Bill said while trying to hide his own smile.

"You are right on both accounts. She is a good lady and I likely should be ashamed, ... but I'm really not." Luke said.

All the men had a good laugh. Bill remembered Pauline from when John was dating her. Cooter and Mark had heard about her from the boys and Jeb.

"I got to go. Cooter if I can help do anything when you start working on that thing, give me a yell." Luke said as he headed to his car and Cooter headed to the wrecker.

Cooter replied, "I'll do it."

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Bo and Jeb took the long way around to get to the back door from the barn so as to not be seen by the adults on the front porch. Both tip toed up the wooden steps to the kitchen door. Bo knew that the screen door squeaked, so he held his breath as he slowly and gently opened the door just enough for both boys to enter the kitchen. Each was careful to step softly onto the linoleum floor to keep their boots quiet.

NARRATOR: "Have YOU ever tried to walk softly in boots? Did it ever really work out well for you?"

Bo stepped extra long to avoid the board in the kitchen that always squeaked. Jeb wasn't as familiar with the old farm house and stepped dead on it.

Pauline heard the board squeak all the way on the porch even over the adults conversation there. "Boys is that you?"

Both grimaced. Jeb even swore to himself as he automatically replied, "Yes, Mom."

Bo added, "We'll be out in a minute."

"Alright, Dear. Bring you a glass if you want. The tea is out here." Pauline added.

Letting out a held breath, Jeb replied, "Alright, thanks."

Bo gave him a 'that was close' look as they headed to the boys room. Bo had just put his hand on the door to open it.

Daisy opened the door to her room across the hall to go get the twins a bottle when she took in the sight of her cousins. The first thing she noticed was the blood on Jeb's shirt. "Oh MY God! WHAT happened to you?"

Bo turned quickly and intended to try to hush Daisy but it was too late.

Karen was now at the door. "What happened to you two?"

Jeb had also motioned wildly for them to hush.

Pauline heard the girls and was up and through the front door before John or Jesse even realized that there was a problem. Seeing the torn clothes then the blood on her son's shirt Pauline was into full 'Mommy mode'. She gasped, then said, "John, Jesse! Boys! Are you alright? Come in here where I can see where you are bleeding from."

Hearing Pauline's tone when she called them, both men were up and moving. Both heard the word 'bleeding' at the same time.

Jeb looked down at the blood on his shirt, then his arm, "I'm NOT bleeding. I might have been awhile ago, but I'm not now."

"Come in here and let me look at you BOTH!" Pauline said leaving no room for discussion.

Once they were in the kitchen and John and Jesse got a good look at the boys they saw reason for the womens concern for the boys. They both looked like they had been on the wrong side of a dog fight or better yet what the cat might have drug in the morning after the night before. "What on Earth have you two been into?" Jesse asked.

Bo sighed, "We're really fine Uncle Jesse."

"That didn't answer my question." Jesse reminded.

_'No.'_ Bo knew he hadn't answered his uncle's question, but he'd hoped that his answer to his next unspoken question would have bought him sometime. Seeing that his planned was now failing miserably, Bo fell back on his original plan then made up the rest. "We were just racing. Up around the river bed, ... and fell on the rocks." They had been racing. Had been up around the river bed when they raced to the mine and had fallen on to the rocks of the mines jumping out of the carts. "Owe!" Bo added as Pauline was looking beyond his torn jeans.

Jesse gave John a look at hearing Bo's explanation, but before he could say anything Pauline spoke up, "Never-mind all that right now. Jesse get me some Ivory soap and a brush. John David go get me some of that shine I know you two have stashed around here."

Hearing his Aunt tell Jesse to 'never-mind' the explanation sounded good, real good to Bo. The next part about the Ivory soap and brush didn't sound good. Not at all, especially being followed by the shine part. He was pretty sure that Aunt Pauline had no intention of him drinking any of it.

Jeb, however, heard the 'right now' part to his mother's sentence loud and clear. He also knew just why she wanted the Ivory, brush and shine. Things were about to get down right painful.

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Let me know what you thought. Thanks again for reading! By the way, the part about the Ivory soap and scrub brush is dedicated to my Aunt Nellie. I still hold the memory of a tricycle wreck followed by my Aunt Nellie, who was an RN, making real sure all the coal dirt was out of my knees!


	65. Coming Clean!

Thanks to all who are following and especially those who take the time to review. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Long Live BRUCAS - you should see what that shine was for in this chapter!

Vector 426 - We also got a new system in May along with trying to learn it we are trying to train new employees and had major storms here this week. At one point 8000+ was without power in a heat wave! So I feel for you. I think Bo and Jeb will live from their injuries, not sure about Pauline's doctoring! Thanks for the review.

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Chapter 65

"Alright, girls out of the kitchen. Bo drop what's left of those jeans." Pauline said in her most authorative voice.

Bo should have known better but, protested, "Now, Aunt Pauline!"

Pauline seen Daisy and Karen had started out of the kitchen but were now hanging back. "Girls I mean it." She said sternly, then to Bo, "Beauregard DUKE! Now, there is nothing that you have that I ain't seen before. Off with the jeans!"

Daisy motioned to Karen and they wisely went back to Daisy's room.

Bo looked at Jesse hoping to be saved. One look at Jesse and he seen there was no rescue to be had there. "Here's you a towel, Bo."

Pauline took the scrub brush and Ivory soap from Jesse and promptly lathered the brush up at the sink. "The longer that dirt stays in there the harder it will be to get out."

Bo seen he was fighting a losing battle. He took the offered towel from his uncle, finally dropped his jeans to the floor, as he wrapped the towel around his waist.

Luke had taken his time driving home. He was thinking about Ruby and how she just by chance ended up running into him while he was at Robin's, as well as Robin all of a sudden agreeing to go out with Patrick Edwards. Luke had heard through the Hazzard net that she had turned down every date since Ralph had been locked up. But, the first time he'd been at her house since they had broken up, she goes out with someone who'd been trying to get her to go out with him for years. He couldn't help but wonder why the sudden change of heart as he parked his car in its usual place. As Luke got close to the back door he could hear Bo and his Aunt Pauline.

"Sit still." Pauline said.

Bo was trying to sit still but couldn't help move when she got a little carried away with her scrubbing, "Owe!"

"We're almost done I just need to get this place on your shin." Pauline said.

Bo watched as the places on his legs that had been only scratches were now readily bleeding from the scrubbing. The place on his shin was a bit deeper but had stopped bleeding long ago. "It's fine really. It's not even bleeding."

"It's not fine, it needs cleaned out. Besides if it bleeds it will get the germs out. You don't want your leg to get infected and fall off do you?" Pauline had used the same argument since Karen had been in this world.

It had been long time since Bo had gotten a 'boo boo' cleaned up by Pauline and he didn't miss the attention at all! "Owe!" He yelped again.

Luke came through the back door and seen his cousin in what was left of his shirt, his underwear and a towel. Seeing what was going on, he looked from Bo to Jeb he had to wonder what he'd missed, but Pauline's doctoring wasn't it. "What happened to your two?"

"Never mind that, be a Dear and get me a towel will you? I'm almost done here." Pauline said to her oldest nephew.

"Sure." Luke said as he leaned in closer to see how bad Bo was hurt. Just the sight of his Aunt Pauline's scrubbing made him grimace a bit.

When Luke returned with the towel, Pauline dabbed the bleeding cuts and scrapes gently then reached for the jar of shine that John had brought in.

Bo asked, "What's that for?"

"We don't want infection to set up and this is the best antiseptic that I know of." Pauline explained.

Bo threw his hands out in front of himself, "Now wait just a minute!"

"Now if you are big enough to get yourself hurt doing whatever fool stunt you were doing to get hurt then you are big enough to get doctored up without all this fuss." Pauline shamed Bo like she had since he was two. "Acting like this in front of everyone on. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I bet Luke there wouldn't be carrying on like that."

Luke, himself wasn't so sure about all that, but if it worked to get Bo cleaned up he'd go along with it.

Bo did just what he'd done in front of Luke since he was two, took a deep breath, moved his hands and sit back in the chair. He resisted the urge to sit on his hands like he had when he was younger. The next thing he knew his legs were on fire as the nearly hundred percent alcohol hit the all open wounds on his legs at once. Bo tightened his hands into fist and really had to bite his tongue to keep from asking Luke or Jesse to blow on the burning sores.

"Now off to the tub you go for a good hot bath, then we'll rinse those places again for you when you get done." Pauline said proudly of the cleaning job she had done on her nephew.

Between the pain of the cleaning, disinfecting of his wounds and the stiffness that such scratches and cuts get, Bo wasn't at all sure that his legs would carry him out of the kitchen, but he was afraid to stay there any longer and risk Pauline seeing more dirt. Moving slowly and limping badly he made his way toward the bathroom.

The above process was repeated on Jeb, who was used to his mother's ways. Being used to them didn't make him anymore agreeable than Bo had been. Pauline worked on the deepest place on Jeb's arm first, then his elbows and knees. Pauline then dosed his knees elbows with the shine. She looked closely at the cut on his arm, "John David does this look like it needs stitches to you?"

Jeb looked at his father and nearly begged with his eyes to avoid a trip to see Doc.

John moved closer to look at his son's arm. It was deep and Pauline's scrubbing had the blood again flowing. Considering what was best for his son as well as Jeb's unspoken wishes, John replied, "Nah, I think it will be alright. Jesse?"

"I think it will be fine. We'll check it after he gets cleaned up." Jesse said.

John nodded in agreement.

As if on cue Bo opened the bathroom door hoping to make his escape to his room.

"Run along Jeb and get cleaned up." Pauline said then turned to Bo, "Bo come on in here and let me rinse those cuts again before bandaging them for the night.

Bo gave Luke a begging look.

Luke shrugged, knowing that there was nothing that he could do to save Bo from another round of doctoring.

After everyone was cleaned up and ready for bed the boys headed out to the hayloft of the barn. Once they were safely in the barn away from the adults, Luke didn't waste any time asking, "Now what did you two to end up looking like this?"

Bo winced as he sat down on a bale of hay causing his jeans to rub against the bandages that his aunt had insisted on putting on his injuries. "We started out looking for the girls, when we got up near the river bed. We got the idea that a race would be a good idea."

"Was that a race with a grizzly or on motorcycles across the Grand Canyon?" Luke asked.

"No it was just a foot race with each other." Jeb admitted.

Luke frowned. He'd been all over the farm and in many a race with those two but had never came home looking like either of them did right now.

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Once the boys had headed out to the barn for the night and John was certain that Pauline had put the kitchen back together from all the doctoring that had taken place in there, he left Jesse to his coffee on the porch to seek out his wife. Pauline was just coming back into the kitchen from taking the night's dishtowels to the washer.

John asked, "All done?"

"Finally." Pauline sighed, "I've got the girls bottles all made for tonight and tomorrow. I put what's left of those boys' jeans to soak. What on Earth could they have been doing to look like that?"

John saw she was about to start in on a rant and hoped to stop her before she got good and started. He put his arms around her, "I just checked in on the girls. Daisy and Karen have them." He kissed her cheek, "How about us taking a little ride? I could use some air."

Pauline had watched John all day. He had seemed a bit nervous all day, yet he had been trying to act like nothing was wrong. She knew when something was bothering him he liked to take a drive. There was something about his need to be behind the wheel of a vehicle that she never could understand, but it usually put him in a better mood. Pauline was tired and any other time she would have likely said no, but she'd agree to go with him tonight. "Alright. I'll just tell the girls we are going."

John reached for her hand, "I've already done that."

As John stepped on to the porch, Jesse looked up. He saw his younger brother holding his wife's hand. Jesse couldn't stop the slight grin he gave John even before John opened his mouth.

Seeing the look that Jesse was giving him, John cleared his throat then said, "We'll be back in a spell. Daisy and Karen have the twins."

"I'm not waiting up." Jesse said as John and Pauline left the steps heading for her car.

John glared at his brother for only a split second, before he promptly chose to ignore Jesse and head for the car.

Jesse shook his head and grinned as he watched John and Pauline getting in the car.

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In the barn, Jeb heard his father's car start and pull out. He looked out the loft door and could make out the forms of his parents as lights from the house lit up the car.

"Who was that?" Bo asked. He didn't think anyone was planning to go out yet, he'd heard his aunt's car pull out.

"My folks." Jeb replied with a frown. "Wonder if everything is alright?"

Luke asked from his place on the hay, "Jesse still on the porch?"

"Yeah." Jeb replied.

"Then everything is alright or he'd been out here my now." Luke said confidently as he took a sip from a partial mason jar that he'd talked Jesse out of.

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It was a warm summer night and John enjoyed wind through his hair as he drove the familiar back roads of Hazzard County. Pauline was sitting quietly by his side as he drove. This is how he liked to drive, not too fast, not too slow without a particular route in mind. John was just letting the car and the roads take him where they wanted him to go.

This sort of drive also took Pauline's mind back to when John David and she were first dating. He'd often pick her up and they would just ride for hours without purpose or direction. Often she had not had a clue as to where they were or where they were going.

John too was remembering those rides when he and Pauline were dating. He knew that she had no clue that some of those drives were actually to check out new routes that he may need to know when he was running shine. John smiled to himself as he thought, _'What she didn't know didn't hurt me a bit either.' _They drove on in comfortable silence for a while, before John finally turned toward his ultimate route out by the lake.

John found a nice secluded spot that over looked the lake and parked the car as far off the road as he dared to take his wife's car that seemed at times to have more muscle than it had good sense. "Care to take a walk down by the lake?"

Pauline replied, "Why not?"

As John got out of the car he picked up paper bag from out from under his seat and a jacket from the back to take to the lake with him. Once they were at the lakes edge John put his jacket down for Pauline to sit on, then he took a seat on the ground beside her. With his arm around his wife they sat and enjoyed the night sounds of the lake with the moon reflecting on the water. After a few minutes, John opened the paper bag, then the jar inside and took a long drink.

"John DAVID!" Pauline exclaimed. "Don't tell me we've been riding around all over creation with THAT stuff in MY car."

John bit his tongue. He could think of several replies especially about just who had bled and sweat to get her the car she considered as hers, but now wasn't the time. "Come on Pauline, relax. Trust me. Let's just enjoy some time out here alone. Why the last time we came out here ..."

Pauline blushed crimson. John David didn't have to finish that statement for her to remember what happened the last time they were here. "I remember it very well, John David."

"Do you regret it?" he asked.

Pauline replied, "Of course not ... it's just that ..." It was too late to finish that thought as John had now cut off her sentence with a most passionate kiss. Pauline knew very well the last time they had come to this lake on a night very similar to tonight that it was only about nine months later they were staying up all night for a completely different reason. Karen was a colicky newborn.

Pauline not regretting the last time they were here was a good thing for John, but he knew better than to push her. As the kiss ended, John took another rather large drink of shine, "Join me?"

"John DAVID!" Pauline said appalled at the offer, "You know that I never!"

"I know that you ... almost ... never." He couldn't stop the grin even if he tried as he remembered the few times that he'd talked Pauline into having a taste of shine. "Come on, Honey. Trust me."

Pauline looked into John's eyes and saw him nearly pleading with her. Taking a deep sigh, "Alright, John for you."

John handed her the mason jar.

Pauline merely touched it to her lips, then licked the contents off them.

"Oh, come on, Honey. That's not enough for a fly to taste." John laughed.

Pauline glared at her husband, then finally took a decent drink of the clear liquor.

"See there, now that didn't kill you." John smiled.

No, it may not have killed her, but she was trying hard to keep her eyes in her head.

John pulled her closer, "There, now that wasn't so bad was it?"

"John David, why are we out here?" Pauline asked.

John thought about it for a long minute before replying. "Tomorrow. I may not have been perfectly honest with you, Pauline."

"What are you talking about?" She asked with just a bit of a raised voice.

John replied, "Now you know me better than think that I'd lie to you, so just stop that right there." He paused for a full minute before adding, "I told you what the Judge said that I could get if found guilty. I also told you that I didn't think it would be anywhere near what it could be. Pauline, I was wrong. I know I was wrong and there isn't anything else for me to do but to admit that and hope that pleading guilty helps me instead of there having to be a long drawn out hearing where I'm later found guilty. But, I want you to know going in, that I am not innocent ... and I don't really see this Judge letting me walk out of there tomorrow."

For several minutes, there was a silence between them that was so loud, that it hurt both their heads.

John continued, "I mean, he said it could be a fine, jail or both. Now, everytime I've had to go to court over here in the past the Judges were looking to gain money for the County, this one though, I'm not so sure of. He's known to be a hard nose." He held the mason jar closer to Pauline and was a taken back when she took it and took a healthy drink out of it. "Easy, Honey."

"John David, are you telling me that I'm going to have the kids and the farm for a year without you?" Pauline asked as she took another drink of the shine in her hand.

John wasn't sure how to answer that question, but tired, "I really don't think it will be a year. More like a few days, but I don't really see us on our way home together this time tomorrow night."

"You have been thinking about this all along, that's why we brought the car and the truck?" Pauline asked.

"Guilty." John replied. "But, you didn't need to worry about all that, all this time." John had taken a sip of shine and passed it back to Pauline.

Pauline took a drink of the shine, "So, you brought me out her tonight to tell me this?"

"Pretty much." John admitted.

"John David, what am I supposed to do about the farm? Say to my family? Everyone we know?" Pauline fretted.

"Carl has already agreed to take care of the farm. He's been wanting his chance to prove himself for fifteen years now. Let him do it. As for your family and the others, tell them the truth. It is public record anything that happens in court." John said.

"And what about Karen's court date?" Pauline asked.

"If I'm home I'll go with her, if I'm not, then you'll have to make your own choices. Just like tomorrow. Are you coming with us?" John asked.

"John, you have never asked me to go with you before. Usually, you call Jesse and I'm never included. The question is, do you want me there?" Pauline asked.

John thought a long hard minute as they started back to the car, yes; he wanted her there for moral support. He also knew how much of a fit she could raise when things didn't go her way. He finally replied, "Pauline the difference is, before I knew I was going to end up paying a fine. I'd like to think that will happen this time, but, I just don't see it from what I know about this Judge. Maybe with you and the girls there, he'll see me as a family man that is needed at home and change his mind." John warned her, "But, you have to remember that IF you go and things go badly, anything you say or do could make things worse for me. Which means you and the girls will be alone longer."

"John David, I just don't know. I'll think about it." Pauline said as she got back into the car. She wasn't at all sure that she could keep her composure if things went badly for John David in court.

John sat the open mason jar in the console as he leaned over the seat, not letting her begin to think and promptly kissed her.

Before Pauline knew it, her bra was unhooked, John's hands were caressing her breasts, and he was well on his way to undressing her.

John knew that he'd have no chance at being with Pauline once they got back to Jesse's. She had never let him get this far at Jesse's so tonight would be no different. He wanted / needed his wife tonight, it would be here, now or who knew when.

Pauline saw where he was going and objected, "John David!"

John kissed her more passionately. "Come on Pauline, it's not the first time we ever ..."

Pauline blushed five shades of crimson, "John ... DAVID, ... DUKE!"

John merely grinned at her and nipped her neck as he dropped his jeans into the floor board.

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Rosco grumbled as he made his way around the still County. He knew he had to be in Court early tomorrow morning with John Duke and Steve Campbell. Deputy Petticord should be working this shift but had called in sick. There was no one else to work the shift so here Rosco was. He would not leave Hazzard unpatrolled even with Sunday nights being known to be quiet. For once Rosco wouldn't mind flushing out a moon runner. _'At least a good chase would make the night pass quicker.'_ Rosco thought to himself as he turned off on the lake road.

John was just getting his breath back when he heard the distant sound of a car. He handed Pauline her clothes as he grabbed his jeans.

Rosco was just about past the wide spot when he caught a glimpse of light off of chrome on a vehicle. He swung the patrol car wide and pulled in just behind the dark colored Chrysler just as John Duke was stepping out of the back seat of the car.

John had seen the lights of the car and hoped to buy Pauline some time to get fully dressed. He actually hoped that the car was some teens looking for a place to park themselves. John had managed to get his jeans on but that was it as the car pulled in closely behind Pauline's car. It didn't take but half a glance at the car to see that the car was a police car. John shook his head and cursed under his breath. Only now did he remember the open jar of moonshine in the console of the car.

Rosco was getting out of the car as soon as it stopped, "John Duke? What are you doing out here at this hour?"

Pauline was praying that Rosco didn't look in the car. She had just now spotted the open jar of shine in her console and tossed John's shirt over the mason jar.

John glanced to see that Pauline had managed to finish dressing, "I was just out here talking to my **wife**." John said as he emphasized the word 'wife'.

"Wife?" For the first time, Rosco noticed Pauline was in the back seat of the car, then he took in John's appearance dressed only in jeans. It didn't take long for Rosco to put together just what had been going on here just minutes before he pulled in. "Git, ... git, ... git, ... I could, ... should, ... run you in." Rosco felt himself blushing just thinking about how embarrassing an arrest such as this would be for him, not to mention for the couple in front of him. "But, I'm not going to this time, because of Miss Pauline and the fact that you already have to see the Judge in the morning."

John really didn't need Rosco's reminding him of his court appearance just a few hours away but was glad to hear that the Sheriff wasn't planning on trying to give him any more charges. John was also glad that Pauline seemed to have learned something from there last run in with the State Police. At least she was staying in the car. "We was just getting ready to head out, Rosco."

"Yeah, well ... You just do that. Just get dressed and get on out of here." Rosco tried to make it sound like it was his idea to let John go.

As John got back into the car, Pauline asked, "What are you going to do about the jar that is under your shirt?"

"Just as soon as Rosco backs off my bumper, I plan to empty it." John said seriously.

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John pulled up into his spot at Jesse Duke's several hours after they had left for their drive.

Pauline was still blushing crimson just thinking about what they had done as well as coming home to Jesse's at this hour with her four children all there, not to mention the Sheriff had shown up at the lake. If word got out about her and John being at the lake, she would be mortified. Pauline was glad that she had been on the birth control this long and prayed that she had nothing to worry about after a night of passion with John David. She shook her head; it would be just her luck to end up pregnant again.

On the other hand, John prayed that she had been on birth control long enough to keep his wife from becoming pregnant after just one night of passion, after all that is what birth control was for was to prevent women from getting pregnant.

They slipped into the house and to their room like a couple of teenagers. John hoped that Jesse was long ago asleep, yet he knew that Jesse rarely went to sleep without all his charges at home, safe and sound.

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Let me know what you thought. Thanks again for reading!


	66. Judgement Day!

Thanks to all those who read and much thanks to those who took the time to review the last chapter!

Avidreader1993JS thanks for your review and welcome! Glad you like Pauline! Jadedphoenixburning and I have made an extra character one of the family. Like with all family we all have those we dearly love but hate to hear they are coming to your house! We have each made her who she is today!

Thanks also to Dimples73 and Ghostrider for taking the time to review!

Long Live Brucas: Yes, it was bad enough when I went through it minus the shine! But to have cuts doused in shine twice, OUCH! Yes, could have been very embarrassing had Rosco been a few minutes earlier! OMG!

Jadedphoenixburning: The whole pregnancy thing will hit the fan soon, I'm sure this chapter will put a ruffle into everyones thinking!

ENJOY! Please review!

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New Chapter 66

Judge Milton Hardcastle had left the case files for his court cases by his seat at the kitchen table after he had reviewed them thoroughly before bed last night. After a large breakfast, Hardcase looked over the two case files once more as he finished his coffee. Both men's files were thick, however there was nothing recent in either file.

Steven Edgar Campbell's last arrest was for Fighting but the charge was nearly ten years old. Most of his file consisted of charges ranging from Public Intoxication to a bar room fight. Seemed he'd spent a night or two in jail, paid several fines and tickets.

John David Duke's last arrest was just over fifteen years ago. His file consisted of charges ranging from Racing to Transporting Moonshine. The later had gotten the Judge's attention. He knew Jesse Duke and knew the family had ran moonshine but to his knowledge none of the Dukes had ever been convicted of running moonshine. Hardcastle had paid particular attention to that report and it turned out according to the report that John Duke had been transporting spring water not moonshine. John Duke had also paid his share of tickets, fines and even spent a few days as the County's guest, but hadn't really been convicted of anything serious.

Hardcastle then looked at the file of the last Duke to come into his court room. The younger Duke had managed to have had two cases heard in his court just months after turning eighteen. Then, there was the file of the other Duke, ... Karen. It appeared to Hardcastle that even the females of the family were not immune from getting into trouble with the law. Milt sighed. He knew there were plenty of younger Dukes bordering on the age of eighteen.

Checking the time, Hardcastle gathered the files, his keys to his pickup truck and headed off toward Hazzard County and justice.

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The Dukes were up bright and early like any other Monday morning, only today they had John, Pauline, Karen and the twins as guests. The boys, Daisy, Karen, Jesse and John all jumped in to get the morning chores done while Pauline got the twins changed and fed. Jesse, Daisy, Karen and Pauline then worked to get a big breakfast on the table while John and the boys finished up.

On the way to the house, Jeb reached out and slowed his father as Bo and Luke continued on into the house to get cleaned up. "Dad, ... I'd really like to be there this morning for you."

John looked at his son. He seemed just a bit taller than John had noticed. John walked over to the fence and hooked his boot as he leaned against the split rail fence, "I know you would, son, but, ..."

"Bo and Daisy even went with Luke." Jeb left out the part that it was against Jesse's wishes.

"Son, the but is, ... I'm not at all certain how this is going to turn out. Had it been twenty years ago, I'd have known the County was out for money. But, from what I hear about this Judge and with what happened to Luke when he went to court, ... I can't be real sure what will happen." John explained.

"Is Mother going?" Jeb asked.

John still wasn't totally sure about that himself, "I think so."

"Then, all the more reason for me to be there." Jeb said confidently.

John studied the situation for a long moment, "Alright, ..." John said slowly to his son, "But, I want you to learn something out of this situation, like what sort of fixes NOT to get yourself into."

Jeb nodded, "I can do that."

John put his arm around his sons neck and pulled him close, "We just have to wait and see on that. Come on, I'm sure Jesse has breakfast waiting on us."

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Judge Hardcastle had just crossed the Hazzard County line when he felt the front tire go to it's rim. He shook his head, check the time as he pulled to the side of the road. Since he was one who liked to be early, Hardcastle figured he still had plenty of time to change the tire and be on his way. He got out his jack and lug bar and set to work getting the flat tire off and into the back of the old pickup, then he got out the spare tire only to find that it was flatter that his grandma's fritters.

Heading back to the cab of the truck, Hardcastle had one more idea. He grabbed the mic on the CB radio he used to listen to the police when he traveled and radioed for an officer near him. With Rosco having worked the midnight shift for Deputy Petticord, he'd went home early and was currently up to his eyeballs with bubble bath as he gave his rubber duckie it's daily bath. Meanwhile, Deputy Petticord was getting things at the courthouse in order for court today. He knew the Judge would be here any minute. With no one else on duty, the Judge's CB call went unheard by the police in the county, but things were not all bad.

Luther Davenport was on his way out of town for parts when he heard the Judge's call. "This is the Hazzard Wrecker anything I can help you with?"

It had not been the response that Hardcastle had wanted but he'd take it. "This is Judge Hardcastle. Yes, you can help. I need to get to court in Hazzard. I have a flat and the spare is flat."

"Alright, I'll be there in about three minutes." Luther replied.

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After breakfast, the Dukes cleaned up the kitchen. Jesse merely said, "John."

"Yeah, I know. Pauline are you ready?"

Pauline wasn't at all sure that she wanted to do this or that she was ready, but replied, "I'll just get the bottles. John are you sure you want the girls there?"

"Positive." John replied.

Jesse hoped John knew what he was doing by taking Pauline and the twins. He picked up his red cap and headed toward the door.

"Can I ride in with you Uncle Jesse? The back seat is crowded with the girls and their stuff." Jeb asked.

Jesse looked at John trying to hide the frown.

John shrugged his shoulders. Letting Jesse know that he had agreed to let Jeb go with them.

"That's fine, Jeb." Jesse replied.

Seeing that her younger brother was intending to go with her father, Karen decided that she could not be out done. Besides this would give her an idea of what she could expect on Friday. "Daddy, I'd like to go too."

John knew there was no way to not let his oldest go if he was letting Jeb. He looked at his daughter and then the clock. It was getting late. She was wearing one of those infernal halter tops. "That's fine, but not in that top. Change and meet us at the car."

Karen started to protest but wisely headed for her suitcase.

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As Luther pulled to the curb in front of the courthouse he said, "Don't worry about your truck Judge. I'll get this tire fixed up nice and proper. Then, I'll take my son out to put it on you truck and he will have it parked out here for you when you get out of court."

"Thanks, Mr. Davenport. I'm sorry to have delayed you." Hardcastle said as he reached for his wallet.

Luther said, "That can wait, Judge. Wouldn't want **you** to be late."

"Thanks. I'll be over to settle up after court." Hardcastle said as Luther stopped the truck and let him out.

As the Judge finally got inside the Courthouse, Deputy Petticord greeted the Judge, "Good morning Judge Hardcastle."

"Deputy. Is the Sheriff in yet?" Hardcastle asked.

"No, Sir,... He worked last night. He left early to grab a shower and change. He'll be in just as soon as he can." Deputy Petticord replied. He sure wished that he hadn't managed to be put off work, last night of all nights. He still couldn't figure out the logic of keeping him home for an extra eight hours, but that's why he wasn't a doctor.

"Fine, fine. I'm going to get cleaned up. I had a flat on the way in." Hardcastle replied, as he headed toward the rest room.

Deputy Petticord opened the courtroom and unlocked the Judge's Chambers while he was freshening up.

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Jesse and Jeb pulled up behind John, Pauline, and the twins outside the Hazzard County Courthouse. Jesse checked his pocket watch as John and Pauline each took one of the sleeping twins out of the car. "It's a quarter of, we's best head on inside." He saw his younger brother take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Guess you are right." John said to Jesse. He never liked having to show up for court let alone go in early, but Jesse had always told him that it was far better to show up early that to be late. Jesse had never steered him wrong on such things before, so he might as well listen to him now. John prayed this would be the last time in his life that he had to go to court, but as he looked at his only son, John knew he was expecting way too much. Jeb was still in his teens. For the most part John knew he hadn't even gotten into his trouble causing years.

Jesse and John stopped just outside the courthouse doors, both turned toward Jeb, Karen and Pauline. Jesse seen that John had the same idea, but he took the lead, "I know John probably cautioned ya'll, but it's my turn. Once the Judge takes the bench until court is over, you both have to remain in control of yourselves, ... no out bursts, no talking period. Not only can this cause John problems but you, yourselves can be held in contempt of court. Understood?"

Jeb replied, "Yes, Sir."

Karen nodded, "Ok."

"I understand, Jesse." Pauline said quietly.

"Alright, shall we?" Jesse opened the door and held it for the others.

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When Rosco arrived he went straight to the outer door of the Judge's Chambers and knocked.

"Come in." Hardcastle said as he layed a file folder down.

Rosco entered, "Good Morning, Judge."

"Sheriff." Hardcastle replied as he acknowledged Rosco's presence. He looked at the thick file before him, "Sheriff, I see that this file on John Duke is rather large, but other than this case today, I see nothing recent. Is that accurate?"

"Yes, Sir. Now, don't get me wrong, John Duke, like all them Dukes used to cause trouble on a regular basis, but I can't recall having any trouble with him in years." Rosco replied.

"What about Mr. Campbell?" Hardcastle asked.

Rosco replied, "About the same. He's been known to have a wild night or so, but not since his father-in-law got him that fancy job at the bank."

Hardcastle replied, "Fair enough." He wasn't one to make up his mind until he heard from the accused themselves, but if this file was accurate and going on what Jesse Duke had told him previously about his younger brother, there shouldn't be any surprises. As for Mr. Campbell, he worked for the bank now. He too had a bit of a file but it was also older stuff.

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John helped get Pauline settled with Jeb and Karen on one side of her and Jesse on the other with the twins on either side of his wife. John noted that Campbell wasn't there yet. So far, so good.

As Rosco stepped inside the courtroom to make sure everyone was there, John took his place in front of Jesse.

Steve Campbell was still fuming as he pulled up and parked across the street from the Courthouse. His wife had refused to come along with him this morning, along with his pounding headache from the amount of liquor he'd consumed last night, this morning wasn't turning out well for him as he entered the Courthouse just as the clock chimed nine o'clock.

Judge Hardcastle was just calling the court to order as Mr. Campbell entered the back of the courtroom. "Good of you to join us, Mr. Campbell. Have a seat up here on the right, Sir."

Campbell was cussing a blue streak to himself as he took his place on the opposite side of Duke in front of the Judge. "Sorry, Judge, I had some difficulties this morning."

Hardcastle gave him a hard look. It appeared that if anyone should have had 'difficulties' that it would have been Mr. Duke. Judge Hardcastle had already seen the sleeping twins in their baskets behind their father.

Judge Hardcastle gave both men a hard look before he began, "I have read both your files, Mr. Duke and Mr. Campbell. It seems the only charge that you both have been charged with is Fighting. Since this involves the same incident, I'd like to proceed with both of you at once. Is there any objections Mr. Duke?"

John knew that to object could rub the Judge the wrong way and frankly he just wanted this whole thing over with, "No, Sir. I don't have any objections."

"Good." Hardcastle looked at Mr. Campbell, "Mr. Campbell do you have any objections?"

"Well, now, Judge, ... I just don't know about that. I want to have my say and all." Campbell said.

Judge Hardcastle wasn't at all in the mood for a debate, he replied, "I assure you that you will both have your opportunity to have you say."

Campbell figured that as long as he got to tell how Duke had attacked him that he would be in the clear so he agreed, "Alright, Judge just as long as I get to tell you how I was attacked, ..."

Hardcastle tapped his gavel, "I said you'd both get a chance to have your say, but that is after I've had mine." He took his ink pen and began making notes.

John figured that he was making notes of what Campbell had said about him starting the fight.

"Now, I'm sure that you both have more important things to do than to have to take off from working to join me here, so is there any objection to doing the trial and the sentencing, should you plead or be found guilty, today?" Hardcastle asked, "Mr. Campbell?"

"Sentencing?" Campbell asked.

Hardcastle's patience was growing thin, as he explained, "I said **should** you plead or be found guilty. Would you want to have to come back just to find out you had to pay a fine?"

"Well, no,... not at all, ... but,..." Campbell stammered.

"Good, good. Then I take it that you have no objections." Hardcastle cut him off before Campbell could say anything further. "Mr. Duke?"

"No objections, Your Honor." John replied as he didn't want to have to come all the way back over here in a week or so to find out if he'd be fined or was going to jail. John figured that they may as well get it over with today.

Again, the Judge made a few notes before he continued. "Now, as I said, you have both been charged with Fighting. It has been my experience that if there was a fight, that it takes at least two to participate. From the statements I've read, I'm inclined to believe there was indeed a fight..."

John knew this didn't sound good from the start. He listened to the Judge as he continued reading statements and asking the Sheriff and Deputy for their statements.

Once all the evidence was layed out, Hardcastle asked, "Mr. Duke would you like to enter a plea at this time?"

Here it was. The moment of truth. John knew that Jeb, Pauline, and Jesse were seated behind him. He'd admitted his guilt in the situation to all of them and to do anything different in court wouldn't be right and would set a poor example for his son. John took a deep breath and let it out slowly, well he let most of it out, "Yes, Sir."

Hardcastle kept eye contact with John, "Alright, Mr. Duke how do you plead to the charge of Fighting?"

John looked the Judge in the eye and said, "Guilty, Your Honor."

Karen's eyes nearly bugged out of her head at her father's admission to his guilt.

Jeb wasn't at all sure why his father would admit his guilt instead of trying to get out of situation. He looked over at his Uncle Jesse.

Jesse seen the questions in his nephews eyes and the look of shock on Karen's face. He tried to give them a confident look that told them that their father knew what he was doing.

"Noted, Mr. Duke." Hardcastle replied, "Mr. Campbell would you like to enter a plea at this time?"

Mr. Campbell jumped at the chance again to tell his entire side of the story, "Absolutely, I'm innocent. Duke there attacked me."

Hardcastle again tapped his gavel a bit harder this time, "Mr. Campbell, your plea of innocent has been noted." Hardcastle paused to make a note on his paperwork, then continued, "As I have said, I do have every reason in the world to believe there was a fight and that there were two parties involved. Now, Mr. Duke has taken responsibility for his actions by admitting guilt for his part in the fight. So, Mr. Campbell, I have no other recourse but to find you guilty of Fighting also."

"Now just wait a minute! You can't do that! I already told you that he attacked me!" Campbell blurted out.

Hardcastle more than tapped his gavel, "I will have order in my court, Mr. Campbell."

The Judge's no nonsense tone sent chills through Karen.

At the unexpected loud banging of the gavel Emma jerked herself awake and began to wail at the unfamiliar voice booming around her.

Karen quickly reached over to get her baby sister. She tried a bottle, tried bouncing her, nothing was working.

Both teens had been in similar situations with the twins at church. They knew of course that their mother wanted to stay and hear what was going on. Jeb reached out for Emma as his mother was also reaching for her. He waved her off, took Emma, the bottle and headed for the back door of the court room.

Now that the voice had stopped and Emma was safe in her older brothers strong arms she quieted down and took her bottle.

Jeb opted to take a seat on the back row with Emma just in case she got fussy again.

Emily had heard Emma's distressed cries and also began to bellow.

Pauline picked up the second twin and tried her bottle. Emily wasn't having it. Her twin was 'in trouble, or pain, or just not real happy'.

Karen reached over and took Emily and promptly followed Jeb. Once Emma had gotten quiet, Emily also began to hush. She took the seat beside Jeb on the back row as she rocked and fed her baby sister.

"Now, as I said, 'I find you guilty of Fighting.' Now, Mr. Campbell, since you are so insist-ant on saying your peace, ... is there anything you want to tell the court before we continue with the sentencing?" Hardcastle asked.

"Yes. He started the whole thing, attacked me he did. I am totally innocent." Mr. Campbell insisted as he looked over at John Duke with his wife and brother sitting behind him. Then, he spotted Duke's older kids had moved to the back row with two infants. Both were comforting a twin, it seemed so very natural for the teens, yet Duke's wife had not moved to her children. That got Campbell to wondering and before he knew it his mouth had jumped into high gear, "So, Duke, you think parading your entire family in here will get the Judge on your side? Well, I'm sure that he sees through that front just like I do. Judge do you really think that Duke and his wife there, **at their age**, really had those brats? I, for one have never seen a teenager take to taking care of a baby, let alone two babies, like those two are **unless **the babies were their own kids. Is that the skeleton you been trying to cover up there Duke? That them brats is your kids brats, not yours?"

Karen had been through the embarrassment of her mother's pregnancy her whole senior year of high school. Now, this man was trying to say that the twins were hers. If that wasn't bad enough, he was implying that her younger brother was the father. Karen felt the heat from anger and embarrassment rising from her chest to the top of her head as she looked at Jeb in horror!

Jeb looked from Emma to Karen and Emily, then responded, "Now just a Da-ed minute!"

Jesse had already reached out trying to stop John, but he was a full second too late.

Pauline gasped, "Well, I have NEVER!"

Rosco, Deputy Petticord and even Judge Hardcastle was shocked at Mr. Campbell's implication.

John was already moving toward Steve Campbell. It was one thing to talk about him, another to talk about his wife, but to have even implied such a thing about his kids was far too much!

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Don't forget to review! Thanks for reading!


	67. After the Storm

Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing. Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter, but I had to take a vacation and escape to Hazzard by way of the Hazzard Homecoming! I got to see all the cast and also got to meet Jaded and her husband which was an added bonus for us.

Chapter 67

A mist the bellowing curses and insults from Steve Campbell the only other sound that registered to John Duke was the clang of the cell door. The shiver that ran up and down his spine was all too familiar despite the late June temperatures. John shook his head. He was stone cold sober. He had been very much in control of his actions, had minded his manners and his mouth.

That had been right up until Campbell had started in about the twins, had implied that they were Karen and Jeb's and not his and Pauline's. Just the thought of Karen and Jeb being anything other than brother and sister was wrong on so many levels. They were typical teenage siblings who were usually on the 'outs' with each other. In fact, John found himself worrying more when the two did agree on something, ... anything. He had also seen just how fast their differences were forgotten and how protective of each other the two were, when an outsider was trying to start trouble. That is one reason that he was glad that Jeb had moved to the back of the court room before Campbell opened his mouth. John was almost certain that if Jeb would have been any closer to Mr. Campbell that it was likely that Jeb would have been right in the middle of things.

John flexed his right hand a couple times. It was already getting stiff and would likely be sore by morning. He turned around and looked at the all too familiar bars as he could still hear Campbell ranting all the way up here from the cells below. John knew that he should be regretting the fix he'd been baited into, but right now, most likely due to the adrenaline, John wasn't regretting anything. Well, except standing behind those blamed bars, that is.

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By the time that Jesse got Pauline outside she was nearly ready to hyperventilate. Jesse knew he'd been somewhat lucky that Pauline had flown mad at Campbell's remarks or else he was sure that she would have fainted dead away on him.

Jesse hadn't agreed with John about taking the kids anymore than he had when Bo and Daisy wanted to go with Luke. But right now, Jesse was glad the older teens had been with them in court, since the twins had been taken along. He wasn't so sure he could have handled Pauline and the twins alone with the way things had turned out.

"Pauline just sit down here a second." Jesse insisted once they had gotten out side on the courthouse steps.

Pauline leaned up against one of the columns, "I'm fine, Jesse. I just can NOT believe that man had the nerve! ..."

"Now, Pauline, there is no sense in getting yourself all worked up again." Jesse began. "Give Jeb your keys so he can bring the car around."

Jeb sat Emma's basket down on the courthouse steps beside Jesse as he reached for his mother's car key's. He'd have given his eye teeth to have been able to have gotten to that Campbell fella before his dad and the police. Jeb knew being under eighteen there would not have been a heck of a lot they could have done to him if it had been him that had swung on the man instead of his father. He pulled the car up to the steps and helped get his sisters loaded up in the car. Jeb dreaded the drive back to the farm, he knew he'd been volunteered to drive his mother and twins back.

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Sheriff Coltrane believed in the saying, "Rank had its privileges." He'd heard enough of Campbell's mouth in the last hour to do him a life time. "Keep an eye on him, Deputy. I'm going upstairs for a bit. Hopefully he'll run out of steam soon." Rosco said as he straightened his tie and tucked his shirt back in.

As he went out the gate, the Deputy locked it behind Rosco, "I sure hope so Sheriff."

Just as Rosco had topped the stairs there was a knock on the locked double doors of the Sheriff's office and jail. Rosco stepped to the door, "I done told you Dukes, ..."

The gruff voice on the other side of the door replied, "It's NOT the Dukes. It's Judge Hardcastle."

Rosco unlocked and opened the door, "Oh, sorry Judge."

"Here are Duke and Campbell's court orders. You'll notice on the second page it states that they are not to be transported or housed together." Hardcastle pointed out.

Still hearing Campbell ranting, Rosco giggled, "I'll take care of it Judge, with pleasure."

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Daisy was hanging out the wash while Bo and Luke were in the nearby garden gathering what was ready to be picked. "Looks like we're going to be busy this evening." Bo said as he finished filling the second bushel basket of corn.

"Looks like." Luke added. He was no where near the end of the green beans and was already on his third basket, "I just hope we have some extra hands this evening."

"Looks like we'll know soon enough." Bo said as he pointed to his aunt's car followed by Jesse's pickup coming up the driveway.

Both boys gathered up their baskets and started toward the house. They were almost to the driveway when Luke cursed.

Bo looked up to see what Luke had seen. Jeb was driving Pauline's car. John wasn't seen in either vehicle. "Danged!" Bo added to Luke's curse.

The boys sat their baskets down on the edge of the porch and went to the vehicles where everyone was far to quiet. Jeb for one was glad that his mother had fallen into a quiet mad after leaving the courthouse.

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Rosco was beaming as he reached for the phone on his desk, "Get me Tri-Counties Jail."

"Right away Sheriff." Maybelle said fully ready to listen to this conversation.

"Tri-Counties Jail, Sgt. Blevins speaking. How can I help you." Peggy said officially.

Sheriff Coltrane looked around the empty room then over his shoulder, ... twice, before speaking to make sure that no one heard him, "This is Sheerriifff Rooosscooo P. Coltraannnee from Hazzard County. I have a couple of prisoners that have been sentenced to your jail for THIRTY days." He giggled nearly bursting with pride and joy.

Sgt. Blevins picked up her ink pen and a piece of paper, "Alright, you have two male or female inmates?"

Rosco acted a bit shocked at the question, since he'd not known of many females to get into much trouble with the law. "Male, of course."

"Alright, two males for thirty days. I was in the middle of working up a transport schedule when you called. I'll get a van out there as soon as I can." Peggy said.

Rosco giggled, "I'll be looking forward to it. Oh, yeah, by the way, ... the transport orders I got say that these two can not be housed or transported together."

Peggy swore silently. That would mean having to run two vans with double the man power and they would have to play 'keep away' with the two men for the entire thirty days. "Glad you told me that Sheriff. Since that is the case, it may take a bit longer to get there to pick them up."

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After getting the twins inside, changed, fed and down for a nap, while lunch was getting started, Pauline walked out on the porch and announced, "I am mad enough to spit!" and promptly did so!

As funny as seeing the most proper lady in the family actually spit, which was considered very unladylike, it nearly caused every Duke who saw Pauline actually spit to loose any composure they had. Jeb grimaced at the others near reaction. Karen gasped. Jesse nearly spit his teeth out.

"I just can NOT believe that Judge actually is locking John up for thirty days!" Pauline declared.

"Thirty days?" Bo and Luke repeated.

Jeb confirmed, "Yeah at Tri-Counties Jail."

"You have got to be kidding!" Luke said in disbelief. "I only got ten days for Fighting."

"You also waited until you was out of the Courtroom to get into Round 2. Those two fools got into an all out brawl right in front of the Judge." Jesse fumed.

Bo and Luke asked together, "They did WHAT?"

"You all heard me." Jesse replied. "Campbell baited John into loosing his cool by implying some untruths about the family."

" 'About the family?' What did he say?" Luke said ready to fly mad his own self.

Bo seconded, "Yeah, what did he say?"

Jesse looked up to see Karen and Jeb both turn purple, though he wasn't really sure if it was from embarrassment or anger. "Never mind that, I'm sure that he will think twice before saying anything like that again after John adjusted his attitude. Now let's go get a bite of lunch so we can finish working up these beans and corn."

Everyone nodded and slowing began their way into the kitchen where Daisy had put out sandwich and veggie stuff with plenty of iced tea for a light lunch.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The rest of this post is for Avidreader1993JS since I can not PM you a reply to review. As those who review know I like to respond to each review I get.

I am also wrote this as I read your review. I strive to write to the best of my ability and feel I do as good as any and FAR better than most on this and other fandoms. I do appreciate a good review whether it is praise or critical, however, I do hope the readers read to enjoy the story first and find errors secondly.

With you, "Anyway, one with the show." I figure you meant 'on' not 'one', but what's in an 'e' or three right?

As for the "there is no comma before the ellipsis". As I read it, an ellispe is "Printing . a mark or marks as —, …, or * * *, to indicate an omission or suppression of letters or words. ( browse/ellipsis) Ok, so I did have to look it up. My use of the aforementioned ( , ... ) was not used as such, but to show a break in the sentence. An extra long pause, if you will. This may not be the correct grammatical way to write it, but if a comma is used for a short pause in a sentence, then I figured it would work for me. I also noticed you picked chapter 66 to mention this on. I used it in Chapter 1. Did you bother to read the whole story and only now choose to review? Or did you just jump in, read one chapter and try to show only the negatives of the story?

As for the Judge, he recognized the Duke name.

As for the breakfast preparation, didn't want to 'drop' anyone into limbo so all were included in the scene. On a farm gathering eggs and milking the cow for breakfast as well as setting the table for the eight adults can all be considered fixing breakfast, so yes I see all them pitching in.

As for court, Jesse was more against the older kids going than the twins.

As for the 'seen' tense, yes I do agree and admit that I should have used the word 'saw' in it's place. See, saw, had seen. Hey us hicks can conjugate!

As for #9 on your list again, ooopppsssie! Scene was originally written where he addressed 2 not 3 people and I missed it. Sorry!

#10 I think you are right!

#11 Yes I left out the apostrophe.

#12 That would have been Jeb. Note the paragraph change between Jeb's exclamation and Jesse's action.

#13 Again you are very right and after that accusation I think John would react the same way again.

No, you have not alienated me anymore than my reply should you. I am NOT an English teacher, English major or any such thing. I write for relaxation, escape and entertainment. Thank you for your honesty and review. I do hope you continue to read and I will try to improve, but I find it hard to enjoy reading a story if I over analyze it too much. Dixie


	68. Clipped Wings

Chapter 68

John wasn't sure if he was happy to see the foam plate of chipped beef gravy and toast or not. It at least meant he'd be in Hazzard until after lunch. He knew that Rosco would keep it quiet about when they would be transported to the Tri-Counties jail. Some part of him wished that Jesse or Pauline would show up before he was transported, while the other part of him dreaded facing either of them from this side of the steel bars. After what had happened in the courtroom, he seriously doubted that Rosco would allow any visitors today.

John sat down on the steel bunk with the foam container of lunch while still hearing Campbell cursing and ranting from the cell below. As John took the first bite causiously, he heard a loud commotion below.

"What sort of slop are you trying to feed me Deputy?" Campbell exclaimed loudly.

"It's the Diner's Special." Deputy Petticord advised, just before having to duck the foam plate of food. "Hey! Now there is NO CALL to be throwing your food like that!"

"That's NOT FOOD, I wouldn't give it to my hogs even if I had any of the fithy critters!" Campbell replied.

Deputy Petticord tried hard to hid his grin as he replied, "Well, it was your lunch. I sure hope you had a big breakfast, or your going to be might hungry by the time supper gets here."

Campbell swore at the Deputy's remark.

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Bo, Jeb, and Luke had just about finished the evening chores when they all ended up in the barn together. After all the animals had clean stalls, fresh water and dinner Bo looked up from where he'd put the shovel as Jeb was putting up a rake, "So, what really happened in court today?"

Luke even stopped what he was doing to listen to Jeb's response.

Jeb tried to count ten to calm down before answering. Just the thought of what the man had implied made his temper boil, "At one point the twins got a bit fussy. I had taken Emma thinking I was going to have to take her out of the courtroom, but she calmed down by the time I got to the back of the courtroom, so I took a seat in the back with her just in case I did have to take her out later. Emily must have heard Emma so she woke up too. Karen picked her up and headed toward the back too. Emily also settled down, so Karen and Emily slide in with me and Emma." Jeb paused there. "Do either of you see anything wrong with that? Anything sick or twisted about it?"

Luke frowned at the odd question then replied, "Doesn't sound like anything any of us wouldn't have done had we been there. Why?"

"Well, it seems that Campbell figured that we wouldn't have taken the girls ourselves, so that Mother could stay, unless, ... " Jeb paused for a long minute before he added, "the girls were 'ours'."

"What?" Bo exclaimed.

"That's ridicious!" Luke added.

"Before I could get Emma handed to Karen, Dad was already at Campbell. Uncle Jesse seemed torn between stopping or helping Dad and calming Mother. The Sheriff and Deputy sure had their hands full for a couple minutes I'll tell ya. Uncle Jesse made me stay with Mother, while he helped get Dad back to his seat. That's when the Judge declared them both guilty, sentenced then to thirty days at Tri-Counties and dismissed court."

Luke grimaced at Jeb's account, "Shhhheewwww! From what I hear about that Judge they were both lucky to only get thirty days. I hear that Judge likes to give the maxium sentence every chance he gets."

Bo and Jeb both nodded in agreement as they heard Daisy calling them for dinner.

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Cooter had just put his latest towed vehicle in the bay of the garage so that he could get started first thing in the morning finding out just what was going on with Doc Applebee's Buick. As he started out the door the sight of not one but two large white vans with 'state green' tags on them passed the garage. The Davenport garage had been Hazzard Central for information most likely before it was even open, so Cooter had heard several stories about what had gone in court that morning. All the different stories ended up the same way with John Duke not fairing real well.

Cooter locked the garage and got in the wrecker automatically reaching for the CB'c mic, "Breaker, breaker, any of you Dukes home on the Hazzard net?"

Luke was the closest to the base station in the kitchen. He gave Jesse a look when he heard Cooter on the radio.

Jesse silently gave his permission for Luke to be excused from the table with the slightest nod of his head.

Luke replied on the radio, "You got us all tuned in. What's up?"

"Would a couple of white 4 wheelers with state tags pulling up at the Courthouse interest you?" Cooter asked.

"They sure would. Thanks a bunch. Lost Sheep out." Luke replied then looked over at Jesse. He knew exactly the vehicles that Cooter was talking about and why they were at the Courthouse.

This information meant nothing to Pauline and Karen well at least without more information it didn't.

Jesse remembered the van and how the Green boy had been trussed up like a Christmas turkey when he was taken away to the Tri-Counties jail. The mental image of John in the same situation bothered him, ... bothered him more than he liked to admit, ... even to himself.

Part of Luke wanted to head out to the car and head for town and, ... well, that was as far as his thoughts got him. There was where he wasn't sure what he could do next. He hadn't taken his seat, but stood behind it waiting, hoping that Jesse would finish his idea for him.

Daisy suddenly put two and two together and gasped, "Oh, My! Uncle John!"

That was all it took for Jeb and Bo to also remember seeing the van the day Ralph Green was transported to Tri-Counties. Both jumped up and turned toward the back door.

Luke had already pulled his keys out of his pocket intending to go out with Bo and Jeb.

"Hold IT!" Jesse said. "Just where do the three of you **think** you are going?"

NARRATOR: "You'd think by now Jesse would know better than to ask those three the same question at once."

In true adrenaline charged Duke boy nature all three boys answered Jesse at the same exact time. "My Dad, ... Go,... Hurry, ... " Was about all that could be understood from the three replies.

"Sit back down. None of you have been excused from this here table and meal before you." Jesse said calmly but sturnly.

The three replied together, "But, ..."

"Sit." Jesse replied, "Now."

Knowing when not to push too far all three boys promply took their seats.

Pauline asked, "Jesse what's this all about?"

Jesse replied, "Well Pauline, these three seem to think it's a good idea to go rushing off to town, to do what, ... I'm afraid to ask because those white vans with state tags on it are most likely there to pick up Mr. Campbell and John."

Pauline gasped, "John?"

"Now, I'll be the first to tell you, I'm not a bit happy about all this, but even John admitted his guilt in the first matter. The Judge has issued a legal court order. If any of us go rushing down there, we'd just be asking to join John on the ride, besides I don't think even being in the area would do John any good and I know it won't do any of us any good either. We all knew this would happen, so just put them keys down and you all finish your dinner."

Luke looked from his Uncle to his cousins and then back to Jesse. He tucked the keys back into his pocket, took a drink of tea before stabbing his piece of roast just a bit too hard.

Slowly the others followed Luke's lead and dinner slowly came to an end with the girls doing the dishes and the others taking tea or coffee to the porch to finish up the beans and corn that had been picked earlier.

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Peggy had arranged for her first transport van to make it's pick up in the other County first then go to Hazzard to pick up one prisoner. She figured on staying over and taking the evening shift floater in a second van to meet the first van in Hazzard for the other prisoner. She wasn't really sure how things had managed to go right for her, but for once by total luck the two vans had met up just outside of Hazzard.

One of the officers stayed with the prisoners already in the first van, while Peggy and the other two men went in the Hazzard Courthouse.

In the upstairs holding cell, John heard before he saw that they had company. He looked up, seen the unfamiliar uniformed officers. John couldn't stop the flip flop his stomach did even though he knew and fully expected these officers to arrive at any time. He only thought he had mentally prepared himself for their arrival, that was until he actually saw them arrive.

Rosco was just coming upstairs to call the diner to order dinner for his prisoners and himself when he saw the Tri-Counties officers had arrived.

Peggy took charge since she out ranked the other two officers as well picked up some overtime in Hazzard County when she could. "Sheriff I spoke to you earlier about a transport."

Rosco beamed proudly. "Yes, yes you did. Git, git, git!" Rosco giggled.

From across the room in the upstairs holding cell John couldn't hear the conversation, but hearing Rosco's annoying giggle did not make him feel any better about this situation.

The two other officers were directed to where to change out John and Mr. Campbell. When the first officer got downstairs where Deputy Petticord was he saw where Campbell had thrown his lunch tray. While getting ready to dress out his prisoner the officer asked Deputy Petticord, "What happened here?"

"It seems he wasn't really fond of the lunch special from the diner." Deputy Petticord replied.

The officer nodded his understanding, "So who is going to clean up this mess?"

Petticord replied, "The Sheriff will likely have me down here cleaning the rest of the day."

The officer frowned at the Deputy's answer, then said, "No he won't. Can you get some cleaning supplies out?"

Petticord wasn't sure why the officer was wanting the cleaning supplies, but replied, "Sure thing." He went to the shower area of the jail and came back with a bucket of water, cleaner, and some old towels.

"Great." The officer replied then turned to the prisoner, "What's your name, Sir?"

"Campbell, ... Steve Campbell." he replied.

The officer motioned for Deputy Petticord to open the cell, "Well, now Mr. Campbell, I'm Officer Bowen and I'll be your travel agent this evening, ... just as soon as you clean up the mess you've made out here."

"Say what?" Campell asked.

The officer repeated just a bit slower, "I said, 'Just as soon as you clean up your mess we'll be on our way.' Now, you can do things the easy way and get out here and get busy or you can **TRY** to buck me and do things the hard way, ..." He paused to let that information sink in, "but either way you made the mess you will be cleaning it up. You may also want to take note of this incident because at Tri-Counties we don't put up with such behavior."

Normally, Steve Campbell didn't like to be told what to do, this was no exception to that, but due to the officer's tone he managed to put his feet in gear to move toward the cleaning supplies and get started while mumbling curses under his breath.

While the other officers began getting the prisoners ready, Peggy asked, "Do you have the paperwork Sheriff?"

With another giggle, Rosco replied, "I sure do. The Judge left these two folders for you."

Peggy took the folders. One was marked, 'Campbell', the other 'Duke'. Seeing the name Duke, Peggy shook her head wondering what the young Duke had done this time. She knew the Judge had given him fair warning the last time they were in court, it was no wonder that this time he'd be going to Tri-Counties. It looked like he and Green would both be spending their summer at Tri-Counties. This would be the third incident since May and June still had another day to go. "Duke? What did he do this time?"

Rosco replied automatically not realizing that Peggy was thinking of the wrong Duke, "Fighting and if that wasn't bad enough they got into **IN** the courtroom in front of Judge Hardcastle."

"And they **ONLY** got thirty days?" Peggy questioned. "I'm surprised that Hardcastle didn't give Luke Duke the entire year on the spot he's really trying to give that boy a break but it doesn't seem like he appreciates it. What is this the third time since May?"

Rosco looked confused for a long minute before figuring out what Peggy was talking about, "Oh, no, it's not Luke Duke this time."

"Well, the only other Duke around here that is over eighteen is Jesse and surely it's **NOT** Jesse." Peggy said.

"No, it's not Jesse either." Rosco replied, "It seems Jesse's younger brother was over here from Placid County when he decided to get in trouble over here. From what I know, John hadn't been in trouble with the law in years until now."

Peggy nodded as she checked the paperwork to make sure everything was in order then signed Rosco's receipt of transfer as the first officer came out with John Duke who had now been changed out of his court clothes and into a bright orange scrub like outfit. Peggy heard the officer giving him the normal instructions while he placed John in the standard belly chain, cuffs and shackles. "I don't want these two up here together, Sheriff. When my officer gets done here, I'll go out with him and be back in to meet the other officer."

"That sounds like a good idea, we've already had round one with them in court today." Rosco agreed.

01010101010101

From the time the cell door opened and the young officer began giving him instructions, John knew he was not in Kansas anymore. The officer may be younger than himself, and he was not Rosco or even Sheriff Loomis for that matter, but the officer knew his job, and was from everything John could tell, he did it well, maybe even a bit too well from John's point of view.

John had never liked orange and even though Rosco's Deputy had changed them out when he was arrested he knew it was only for a few hours. John wasn't a small man and now in this much brighter orange outfit with the words 'Tri-Counties Jail Inmate' stamped across his back he couldn't help but feel like the Great Pumkin.

Then when they got back into the main room of the Sheriff's office, the command, no it wasn't a request, not a statement even, but a command to 'face the wall' came. This was another of those moments that John had thought that he'd prepared himself for until it actually happened. As John turned toward the wall, he reminded himself that he'd more than asked this moment on several occassions in his life. He steeled himself as he heard the chains jiggling behind him. As John felt the bellychain being brought around him, he said, "I don't suppose my telling you that you don't need that would matter?"

The officer replied, "No, Sir. It's our policy."

"I figured it might be." John replied as he heard the padlock on the bellychain lock around his waist and felt his stomach do another flip flop. He was then directed to place each of his hands in the cuffs attacked to the bellychain, then to stand still as the legirons were locked on each ankle.

The officer did have the good sense to remind John to take short slow steps as they were joined by the female officer on the way to the awaiting van.

John couldn't help but feel like every eye of every person he'd ever known in Hazzard was on him as he carefully made his way down the courthouse steps. Then, the officers steadied him as he got into the van and with the height of the running board, the shackles and his hands held to the side it was not an easy feat. John took the seat that he was directed to on the bench seat directly behind the officers right behind the steel mesh screen divider. He noted the officer lock the door of the van. John couldn't help but look at the locked door of the van. There was no internal locks or handles on it and each window on the van was covered with steel mesh screens.

The officers didn't waste anytime in pulling out and heading out of town. One thing that John was greatful for was that he didn't see any of his family when he came out to the van. He could only hope they were back at the farm and not where near town.

Back on the Duke farm, Daisy and Karen were doing the dishes in silence until Daisy spoke, "You've been awfully quiet tonight."

"Just thinking, I guess." Karen said.

Daisy knew that she was very close to her father, "About your Dad?"

Karen sighed, then admitted, "Some, but mostly about Friday. I know that is selfish, but, ..."

Daisy gave her a small smile, "I can understand that and I figure Uncle John could too, besides he'd not want us fretting about him."

"Daisy, you just wouldn't believe that Judge. I mean, sure he was all buisness when he set bond for all of us, but today in court, ... after Dad and that man got into it, he was down right scary." Karen explained.

"Yeah, we were there when Judge Hardcastle set Luke's bond." Daisy replied.

Karen nodded, "The thing is, we were taken to the old Placid County Jail. From what I've been told sense IF we get any time at all we'll be taken to Tri-Counties Jail. The way I hear it with there being eight of us involved we'd take up too much room at the old place, at least that's what the others are telling me."

Daisy tried to reassure her older cousin, "I'm not sure how things work over there, I'm just learning how they work over here, but remember that you can't always go by what your friends tell you. Sometimes they aren't as good of a friend as what you thought."

"Thanks, Daisy." Karen replied, hoping that her cousin was right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Peggy watched the first van heading for Tri-Counties pull out, then returned to see Rosco fiddling with his papers but no sign of her other officer. "Where is my other officer?"

"Ohhh, ut, ... um, ... Well, I don't know. They haven't came back up yet." Rosco said. "Do you think we better check on them?"

Peggy was already heading toward the stairs, "Yes, I do." The sight that greated her made her smile just a bit as soon as she saw Officer Bowen give her an 'it's alright' sign. Officer Bowen had his prisoner cleaning the cell and booking area of what appeared to be gravy. "Did we have an accident?"

Officer Bowen replied, "It seems Mr. Campbell spilled his lunch tray earlier. I figured he may as well get used to cleaning up after himself."

"Good idea. Lord only knows what that stuff would turn into by the time I work over here again. Thanks." Peggy said.

After Mr. Campbell got his lunch cleaned up off the floor and walls, Officer Bowen had him change out into orange, then followed the same procedure that the other officer had done with John Duke. Mr. Campbell was much more vocal in his dislike for the officer's policies, but managed to comply before he had to be 'assisted' in following the officers directions.

By the time they got Mr. Campbell to the jail and checked their weapons, John Duke had already been processed and following the officer to get his mattress, sheets, pillowcase, towels, wash cloth, and blankets.

Peggy took the paperwork into the control room of the jail, then turned to the main board that showed who was in what cell for the entire jail. She grimaced when she seen which cell Jonathan Duke had been put in.

The Watch Commander seen her grimace and asked, "What's wrong?"

Peggy asked, "Who's working First tonight?"

"Thomas. Why?" She replied.

"Just something you may want to know and he may want to listen for, ... Jonathan Duke's nephew and Green there in Seven have a history. A history that put Green here." Peggy said.

The Watch Commander asked, "Should we move Duke?"

"I don't think so, unless there is a problem. It could actually make matters worse." Peggy replied.

The Watch Commander nodded knowingly. "Thanks for the heads up."

"Yeah, well, I had hoped to get here before you placed them to keep this from happening." Peggy said.

01010101010101

After the beans and corn were finished and the dishes done, Luke stood up and tried to gently stretch but was greeted by a sharp pain from his recently broken ribs. He tried hard to hide pain since he knew that Doc and Jesse had been really serious about keeping a close eye on him for two weeks, that had been a week and a half ago. "Ya'll ready to go change the oil in the Torento?" Luke seen Jesse's eyebrows raise and added, "I'm only watching to make sure they do it right."

Both Bo and Jeb shot Luke a glare.

Jesse had seen Luke grimace in pain just from getting up from the swing and he wanted to go work on a car. He pointed his finger at his oldest nephew, "You make real sure you are just watching. I'm real sure Doc meant it about putting you to bed at the clinic if you come back in hurt again."

Luke nodded, "I know. I'll be careful."

Jesse shook his head as he watched the three boys head to the barn knowing full well why they wanted the oil changed in the car. There was going to be a big racing weekend in Placid County this weekend. He knew that it didn't matter that Luke had busted ribs or that Bo was just out of a cast those two would find a way to race this weekend.

In the barn, Bo looked at Luke, "Why are we changing the oil in your car?"

"Because he can't run a race with dirty oil." Luke replied.

"Run a race?" Bo questioned.

"Yeah, ... and we both know, ... there is no way Jesse's gonna let me drive." Luke replied.

Bo's eyes lite up like a kid being told that Santa Claus had come in July. "Luke? Really? You mean you really want me to drive your car?"

Luke frowned a bit, "No, ... I don't **'want'** you to drive my car, but if we're going to race this weekend do you see it happening any other way?"

Bo's smile grew wider, not because he was glad Luke couldn't drive, but because Luke was gonna let him drive his car, "No not really."

"Good then let's get to work." Luke said.

Jeb couldn't help but frown, "Ya'll aren't talking about the races in Placid this weekend are you?"

Bo asked, "Do you know of any others on Fourth of July weekend?"

Jeb replied, "Well, no."

"Then, those are the races. Why? What's up?" Luke asked.

Jeb ran his hand throw his hair and looked away from his older cousin before answering, "I've been trying to get this bike off a friend's buddy. With what I will have from working here this summer and what I have saved up from racing I should be able to get a really good bike. I was figuring on racing this weekend and if I win I can get the bike sooner."

Luke nodded, "So what's the problem?"

Jeb sighed loudly, "Mom and Dad don't know. I briefly mentioned it to Uncle Jesse, but if I say anything now to Mom, with Dad gone, ..." Jeb's voice died off.

Bo and Luke nodded grimly seeing where Jeb was going with his thoughts. Luke replied after several minutes, "Ok, so don't say anything about it."

Bo's eyes went wide at Luke's suggestion.

Jeb figured he didn't hear right or missed something. "What?"

Luke layed it out, "Alright, with the twins and all there is no way Aunt Pauline is going to come to watch us race. Jesse may go but being in Placid County he might not. As long as no one mentions any different they may just assume you are going with us. We'll be good until after the race at least."

NARRATOR: "Hearing logic like that, is there any wonder Jesse's hair turned white so soon?"


	69. Preparation, Planning and Penance

Thanks to everyone who is following along and for being patient. Life has been in my way the last couple weeks. I have changed jobs and had to jump through some hoops (go through a totally different process) to get the new job which is actually returning to an old job I had about 4 years ago. I had started it in late 1995 and worked there until about 4 years ago and fifteen years makes a WORLD of difference! Still sore from the pre-employment and orienation / refresher stuff I've been doing for the last two weeks.

Now, onto the story, I hope you all enjoy reading!

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Chapter 69

John Duke stepped inside what was known as Cell 7 the evening of last Monday in June. Since one guy had just got out John would be the fifth man in the cell. John had been around enough to know that there would be a bunk that he was in 'line' for. He sat his mattress roll on the corner of the bench to the table and asked, "Alright fellas, which bunk is mine?"

One guy started to answer, but was cut off by Dean who had been in the cell the longest, "Don't I know you Mr.?"

John shrugged his shoulders, "You might. Name is Duke."

There was a slight groan from the young man the phone.

Dean nodded, "Ain't you Karen's and Jeb's dad?"

"That's right." John replied almost sighed at being recognized by his kids friends

Dean replied, "I had a couple classes with them. My father knows you from the feed store."

John looked at the young man closer and seen a family resemblance, "Mr. Carter's your father?"

"That he is, Mr. Duke." Dean replied. "Alright fellas back up a bunk. There is no way I'm gonna let Mr. Duke here have to be on a top bunk." Dean grabbed his bed roll, ready to move.

The others in the cell glared at Dean, but no one bucked him, that was until Ralph Green was being forced to back up to an upper bunk, "Now just wait a second!"

"There is NO waiting, Green. That man is well over 15 years older than us, I'm NOT catching he- for him being on a top bunk once my father finds out. It's bad enough that Hardcastle gave me a year here for Battery without having to deal with the old man later." Dean stated.

Most everyone grumbled but did move, thus putting Ralph on the top bunk in the corner luckily away from the bathroom area, but above John Duke.

John was ready to protest when Carter said, "Don't worry about it, they'd rather be on a bunk than the floor and not many of them want to try me."

John shrugged, "Much obliged. Anything I can do for you just let me know."

"I will." Dean smiled slightly. "How long are you hear for anyway?"

John replied, "Thirty days."

Dean nodded, "See in thirty days I'll move over there and you can have a bottom bunk Green."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

As Bo and Jeb changed the oil in Luke's car, Luke gapped the new set of sprak plugs he had picked up from Cooter's. Figuring that there wasn't anything physical to changing the spark plugs Luke got a socket and ratchet to start changing the plugs and wires. The first couple wasn't a problem but when Luke stretched a bit further to get to the back plug there was a pain that shot through his left side. Had Luke not have caught himself on the side of the car he'd likely have dropped to his knees. "$$#IT!" Luke swore as soon as he caught his breath.

"I thought you said you'd just be watching." Jesse's voice boomed.

Luke raised up quickly at the sound of his uncle's voice and promptly hit his head on the hood of his car. Luke grabbed his head and swore again.

"That's what you get for doing things you shouldn't be doing. And, watch your mouth." Jesse scolded.

Luke was now trying to hold his ribs and his aching head as Jesse said, "Boys slid on out here a few minutes."

Bo and Jeb did as they were told and took up seats on a couple bails of hay near Luke's car.

Jesse began, "Boys, I've been talking to Pauline about the situation with John. Jeb I know you have always came over here for the summer and this summer I need ya more than usual."

Luke dropped his head at that comment as did Bo, both knowing that their actions which had caused both to become injured, had not helped Jesse or the farm.

"I'd understand totally if you felt that you needed to head home with your Momma, but she has assured me that John has arranged things on the farm to be handled by Carl. Pauline is also sure that Grace will be there to help with the twins, but I've been thinking. Do you fellas think we can batch it awhile at least until we see what happens with Karen's court date on Friday?" Jesse asked.

Luke knew that he was the least productive as far as farm chores went and he may not be Daisy, but he could cook some and could do the laundry. He wasn't anymore fond of doing such things than Daisy herself was, but at least he could maybe pull his weight that way. "Well, I'll cook what I can if ya'll will eat it and I should be able to keep the laundry and house up, too."

Jeb answered, "As long as Dad has the farm taken care of, I'd like to stay here since you are counting on me and all." then paused and turned to Luke, "As long as I ain't got to eat my cooking, I'll gladly eat yours."

Bo knew Luke's cooking, but he also knew his own. "Luke sandwiches are always a good idea."

Jesse smiled at 'his' boys, "Well, now that we got that settled, I'll go talk to Daisy and see if she wants to go help with the twins. And Luke, stay out from under that hood!"

"Yes, Sir." Luke replied with a frown.

The boys soon had Luke's car in tip top shape. The oil, spark plugs and wires were changed and they had set the timing. So other than a once over and a stamp of approval from Cooter, the car was ready to race.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

After the five inmates re arranged their mattresses, John was brought a supper tray that had been held back for him and Campbell since they were being moved during dinner. John took in his surroundings as he ate and noted the phone in the cell. Before he could ask Dean or the other guys about it, John felt someone standing behind him.

"Did you say your name was Duke?" Green asked.

John knew the voice before he turned around, it was the one they called Green who had been peeved over the bunk arrangement. John turned to face the younger man, "I did. Why?"

"Do you have any family over in Hazzard?" Green asked.

John answered the question without volunteering any information, "I do."

Green's temper was rising, "Luke Duke?"

John stood up as he replied, "My nephew."

"Well I just want you to know it was your low life nephew that got ME in here!" Ralph said a bit louder than necessary.

"The way I hear it is that you jumped my nephew from out of the blue for no reason." John managed to take a step toward Green as he spoke quietly.

The foot steps of the guard were heard coming down the hallway. John held his position until Green decided that he needed to be elsewhere, only then did John sit back down.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

Jesse had come back into the farm house and spoke to Daisy. She was more than glad to help with the twins after Jesse assured her that he'd square things with Boss Hogg to get her time off at the Boar's Nest. Daisy was more than glad to go start packing, but as she did so she noticed Karen getting more and more withdrawn. "Is something wrong, Sugar?"

Karen plopped down on the bed, took a pillow to hug as she crossed her legs and said, "Do you think they are sending you home with me because they think I'm going to jail Friday?"

Daisy gave her a weak smile, "I don't think so. I think they just want you and your mom to have an extra hand is all."

"I hope so." Karen replied.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

John had talked to Dean and found out the hours of the phone and that ALL calls were collect whether they were across town or across the country. It was getting late on the farm and John knew that everyone would be heading to bed soon so if he was going to try to call now was the time. He picked up the phone and followed the directions that the recording gave him.

At the Duke farm, Pauline had been trying to stay busy to keep her mind busy as well as her hands. She was currently putting the twins bottles in the refrigerator that she has made up for the next day when the phone rang. Thinking it was a bit late for anyone to call, she answered, "Duke Farm, Pauline speaking."

Pauline heard a recording, "You have a collect call from the Tri-Counties Jail from, ..." Then she heard John's voice say his name before the recording continued, "To accept charges press '1', to decline, press '2' or simply hangup."

Pauline looked at the phone like it was from Mars a complete thirty seconds before she managed to press the number one and said, "John."

Even before John had dialed the number to Jesse's he'd feared that Pauline wouldn't accept the charges or simply wouldn't talk to him after he'd let his temper get the best of him earlier in court. It took John a full minute to swallow the huge lump that suddenly appeared out of no where in his throat before he could say lowly in hopes that the others were not listening, yet he knew that they were, "Honey." He let out the breath he'd been holding as he heard his wife's voice, "I'm glad you answered."

Pauline frowned, "Well, of course I answered."

"I figured that after everything that went down earlier in court that you would be pretty mad at me." John said carefully, trying not to make his wife any madder at him.

"John David, I am not at all mad at you about today. For two cents, I'd have slapped him myself!" Pauline said louder than necessary. "I **just** can **NOT** believe that he gave YOU thirty days, after what that no good, ...!"

John hoped he could cut off her rant. He knew he only had a few minutes to talk and that according to the sign he was looking at, any phone call could be monitored and / or recorded. He said sternly, "Pauline." Then continued as she stopped in mid sentence, "I've only got a few minutes to talk and I don't want to run Jesse's phone bill up. I understand the collect charges are a lot higher than a normal collect call. And tell Jesse I'll pay for this call."

Pauline replied, "Alright."

"Are you and the girls going home tomorrow?" John asked.

Pauline both dreaded going home alone and having to face her family, but looked forward to being back at home. She also knew that Karen had to be in court on Friday. Pauline sighed, "I suppose so. I can't stay here the whole time you are gone and besides Karen has to be home Friday."

John sighed, "Yeah, about that, I really had planned on being there for her and going with her."

"John David you don't think, ..." Pauline's voice failed her momentarily.

"Pauline there is no way I can know what will happen on Friday, but I figure that Judge Hardcastle is getting real tired of seeing the name Duke." John said. "I'm not sure how you can do it with the girls, ..."

Pauline cut him off, "Jesse is sending Daisy with me. I'll be there for Karen."

The kids themselves may not have understood jsut how big of a concession Pauline was making right then, but John Duke knew how she claimed to feel since Jeb's birth when she was told that Jeb was a baby boy. They had long ago decided that Pauline would handle any trouble at school and John would handle legal trouble that the children got into. Pauline had not been so naive to think that with four children, and one of which a male Duke, that she'd never get a call or a visit from the law. Though she hoped through teaching and preaching that her kids would learn that as far as she was concerned that if they made their bed that they would be expected to lie in it. John simply replied, "Thanks, I was a bit worried about that. Are you sure that you don't want me to ask Jesse to go?"

Pauline replied, "John David you know how impractical that would be. Her 'appointment' is at 4 o'clock that would mean Jesse would have to leave Hazzard before noon and not be back until at least 9. You know Luke is still under the weather, ..."

John looked at the young man sitting on the bunk above his that was the reason that his nephew was still under the weather. Yes, he knew Luke was limited in how much he could help Jesse right now.

"Bo's arm surely isn't a hundred percent yet and Jeb just isn't used to this sort of farm work." Pauline concluded.

John knew Pauline spoke a lot of the truth and also knew why Jeb wasn't used to that sort of work. The Loftlins used more motorized farm equipment than muscle to farm their cotton than the Duke's used to farm their corn, hay and gardens. "All right but if you change your mind, ..." The one minute warning message played. "Look I'll call tomorrow night to make sure you got home alright, then I'll call Thursday to make sure you don't want Jesse to go instead."

Pauline got a lump in her throat and tried hard to swallow it so she could answer, "Alright John David."

John looked around to make sure that no one was obviously listening to his conversation, "Let the kids know I love them and I love you too, Honey, and I'm sorry about all this."

"I love you too, John David." Pauline choked back her tears, as the phone call ended.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Please review! Thanks for reading!


	70. Adjustments!

Thanks for reading and special thanks to all those that review! I hope you have as much fun reading this as I had writing it. But the next chapter should open enough cans of worms for fishing all season long.

Chapter 70 - Adjustments!

Being used to getting up and going to bed early, John was more than ready to stretch out after he got off the phone with Pauline. He wasn't exactly sure how much sleep he'd actually get since like any other Duke he wasn't at all happy about being locked in a cell with four other men but after the events of the day, John was ready to at least try to sleep. He picked up today's discarded Placid Times then went over to his bunk hoping that reading that paper would help him get to sleep.

Two of the others were playing cards, another read a book, and Green was standing in front of the television. It was Ralph's turn to chose what was watched on the television today. Whatever he'd picked didn't seem very popular with the others in the cell John noted. John had barely started to read when he noted the volume of the television go up followed by a grumble from the guy on the next bunk who was reading the book.

Dean looked up from his cards, "You're going to get the guard back here if you keep that turned up."

Green threw up his middle finger toward the cell door, "$ $_& _*$ Them!"

"You might like them back here breathing down your neck. We don't." Another younger man said.

The man beside John was a bit older than the rest of the 'kids' in the cell, but appeared to be about ten years John's junior. He said quietly, "Can't tell that one," nodding toward Green, "A thing."

John said lowly, "I understand it's not just here. He and my nephew have had an ongoing, shall we say, rival for awhile now."

"I heard him mention that earlier. What's it over?" The man asked.

John replied, "My nephew lives in Hazzard. I wasn't there and haven't even heard all his side of it, so I'd hate to speculate."

"That's fair enough." The man replied just as the guard entered the cell block.

"That volume has to go down some." The guard said.

Green bucked, "Are you gonna make it?"

Dean looked up from his card game and said to Green, "He doesn't have to turn it down." then looked over to the officer, "It'll get turned down."

Officer Thomas nodded, then headed back to check on the other cells on the floor.

Dean gave the officer time to get out of hearing range, put his cards down and stood up, "Now, Green you may not care about watching television other than tonight, but I do since tomorrow is my day. And the next day is Gage's and so on. So turn it down **now**, or we will."

The man beside John had already put his book down and was sitting on the edge of his bunk.

John had followed the man's lead picking up that whatever was about to happen wasn't going to be good.

Green stepped closer to the television but did not turn the sound down.

Dean heard the door to the floor close as the officer went off the floor to get a cup of coffee or go to the restroom. He gave the other two men a look as he stepped toward the television set and turned the sound down.

Just as the sound went down, Green decided to show these guys that he wasn't three. He threw a punch that should have landed right in Dean's right rib cage.

Before John knew what was going on the man beside him said, "Come on."

John got up from his bunk and followed the other man as the other two men in the cell had taken Green to the shower area of the cell. Green not only got his nightly shower but an attitude adjustment from all of his cell mates. By the time that the discussion was over all five men looked like drowned rats.

It was Dean who ended the conversation, "This didn't happen. You don't open your mouth to NO one about it. You will NOT ask to be moved out of this cell or you will spend the rest of your time hoping the officers are real close by. Got me!"

Green was still trying to be a bad guy, so he didn't reply even as he was holding his right side and tasting blood in mouth from an earlier hit.

Dean elbowed Green in his already tender side and asked again, "Do you understand?"

Green gasped and couched before managing to finally answer, "Yeah. ... I, ... under, ... stand."

"Good, now get dried off." Dean said.

Officer Thomas came back to the floor just in time to get a head count before lights went out. As he figured the sound on the television in Cell 7 was back to a normal range. When he stepped in the cell block he saw water from the shower area to the bunk area and several of the men still trying to get dry. "Thanks for turning the sound down on the television fellas. Do ya need a mop? Looks like someone spilled some water over by the shower."

John who had basically kept Green from bolting away from the others and was less wet, replied, "A mop would be great."

Thomas gave a half grin. He knew exactly what had happened, "I'll get it for you and turn out your lights last so ya'll can get cleaned up before the lights go out."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

After Ralph's attitude adjustment on Monday night, John purposly slept lightly that night when he managed to sleep at all. He spent most of the night thinking. John made a mental note to thank Jesse for not making Jeb cut his summer short as well as sending Daisy to help Pauline and Karen. Being a normal early riser, John was awake long before anyone else moved but stayed on his bunk.

The coffee cart entered the cell block just as the bright lights came on. John heard Dean hurry over to the table by the bars of the cell. John opened his eyes to see why the young man was in such a rush. John saw Dean hurry back to his bunk and stash several oranges under his blanket then return to the table to get his coffee just as the officer entered the cell block to escort the cart.

John also got up and headed to the table for his coffee followed by most of the others. He noted that Green hadn't moved. "What's with him?" he asked to no one in particular.

"He never moves until later." another of the guys said.

"Which is fine by me." Dean said. "Guy is a jerk."

John couldn't argue that fact no longer than he'd been around the guy. Breakfast was served which consisted of chipped beef over toast and an orange with a small container of orange juice. For a half a second John thought he must be back in Hazzard County since chipped beef was what was often served there. He took note of all the others handing over their oranges and juice to Dean. "Alright fellas what's up with the oranges and juice?"

One of the younger men started to speak but was hushed by a swift kick under the table from Dean. Other older man that was on the bunk beside John looked from Dean to John, "You said your name was Duke and that you had family from Hazzard. You wouldn't be related to Jesse Duke would you?"

"Jesse is my oldest brother. Why?" John replied.

The man looked at Dean and the others, "If you want something quality we better cut him in. He may just save us from getting poisoned."

By now John figured he knew what was going on. "Let me guess, ya'll are planning on making a little something for the 4th?"

The older man just grinned.

"What do you have and what are your plans?" John asked.

Dean layed out the ingredients they were able to come up with and told John how he planned to process them.

John nodded, "You know that you'd be lucky not to get poisoned the way you planned to make that stuff." He thought for a minute then remembered seeing extra trash bags. "Alright we need to get that trash can washed out real good. We'll put the oranges and juice in the trash bag. Can ya'll get ANY yeast or sugar at all?"

Dean shrugged his shoulders, "Some, maybe."

"I can get it to work faster that way, but if not I can do without." John informed.

John, Dean and the other older man worked to get the oranges and juice in the trash bag and hidden in the clean trash can before Green ever woke up.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Pauline, Karen and the twins headed home for Placid County on Tuesday morning. Daisy had been sent by Jesse to help his sister-in-law while John was in jail and Jeb was helping out at the farm. Daisy was excited by getting to go to Placid County for at least a week or so. Her Uncle Jesse had arranged it with Boss Hogg for her to have some time off at the Boar's Nest.

After getting to John and Pauline's farm the women got the infants settled then began to unpack the car.

Pauline asked Daisy, "Would you be a Dear and check the mailbox?"

Daisy replied, "Sure thing." then headed down the driveway to the mailbox.

Pauline was rinsing out the used bottles from the diaper bag when Carl knocked on the back door. She let her brother inside as he said, "I seen you drive up. Is John behind you?"

This was not a conversation that Pauline was ready to have with any of her family, but if she had to have it, Carl was a much better start than others in her family. Pauline replied, "No, John David is not behind me."

Carl nodded, "He said he may be in Hazzard a few days."

"I only **wished** that he were in Hazzard and for only a few days." Pauline said before she could think about her answer.

Carl frowned, "John's not in Hazzard and not just for a few days?" He paused then asked, "Pauline, is everything alright. I mean with you two and all?"

Pauline heard the under lying question and concern in her brother's voice. "Carl, everything between us is just fine." She saw more questions on her brother's face and held up a hand to stop him from voicing them. At the moment the last thing she wanted to do was play twenty questions. "A little over a week ago while John David was in Hazzard there was an, ... 'incident', ..." Pauline put her hand to her mouth, looked toward the ceiling and tried very hard to collect herself before she continued, "John David went to court yesterday, because of the 'incident'." Again Pauline paused, trying to will her voice not to crack. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "John David won't be home, ... for thirty days."

"Thirty DAYS?!" Carl replied totally shocked at his sisters news. "What? WHY?"

Pauline replied in her no nonsense tone, "Carl Edward, I just TOLD you." Pauline was none to happy about the circumstances and even less about having to admit them to her family.

Carl frowned. He figured he would not get a straight answer at least until John got home.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Late Tuesday afternoon, Luke pulled his Torinto in at Cooter's garage. It was one of the first trips he'd made anywhere alone after getting his license back and being injuried. "She's close, but would you care to give her a once over?"

Cooter grinned widely, "Sure thing, but I know that your Uncle Jesse ain't gonna hear of you driving this weekend." Cooter had noticed his friend favoring his left side even after he managed to get out of his prized car.

Luke had already opened the refrigerator and opened a beer, "You're right about that."

Cooter scratched his head, "So, if you aren't driving, ... who is?"

Luke gave Cooter a look, took a large drink of beer then replied flatly, "Bo."

Cooter let out a loud long whistle.

Luke threw up his hand and asked, "What choice do I have?"

Cooter held up his hand in understanding, "I hear ya, but, ... Man!" He knew exactly how much effort his buddy had put into making this heap of junk a race car, only to almost get it together and have to turn it over to his younger cousin. Cooter stepped to the front of the car and popped the hood. He took one look at the familiar engine, lower the hood a bit to see his friend, "You know that you might just be creating a monster by putting Bo in this here thing."

Luke knew Cooter's line of thinking, and he agreed, but again he knew he had only two choices; Bo drive which meant anything from a possible totaled out mess, to the first Duke win on an official track. Their first win should have come a couple weeks ago, but with Bo's arm still in a cast then, and Luke's broken ribs no one had been able to enter the race. Their only other option was not to enter and let someone else take the win and the prize money. Considering that there was a possibility of making ten times the entry fee if they won, Luke was at least willing to let Bo try his luck on the track in his car since there was no way Jesse would let him even attempt to race. Luke replied solemnly, "Yeah, I know."

Cooter turned back to the engine of the car, "Well, alright then, hand me that timing light."

Luke grimaced as he reached behind him for the timing light. He frowned, then opted to get up, turn around and pick up the light weight timing light. Luke was not one who liked to be hurt or sick, and if he was hurt or sick he did not like giving into the aliment. Luke, as well as Cooter, knew that Bo was far more experienced in driving a powerful vehicle at fast speeds than was Bo and Luke's slightly younger cousin Jeb. It had only taken one trip back from town with Rosco behind them for Luke to know that Jeb had never even thought about out running a Sheriff in a car before.

After awhile Cooter had given his stamp of approval on Luke's car and suggested, "Say how about we test him out on the way to the Boar's Nest?"

"Sure thing." Luke said as he went to stand up. He managed to some how move the wrong way and a pain shot through his left side causing him to grimace.

Cooter may have been crazy, but he was not dumb. He saw that his buddy was still in a considerable amount of pain and this wasn't the first time he'd seen him hurting today. "On second thought, how about I take him out and blow out the cobwebs, then we can go grab a beer, meanwhile help yourself to another in the frig."

Luke started to object, but Cooter seen it coming, "Look, one hop over a tree stump and you'll be hearing Doc and Uncle, Mister Jesse for weeks."

Luke wasn't happy about it, but knew Cooter was right. He replied as he headed for another beer, "Keys are in it."

Cooter had managed to head the car out of town at a reasonable rate of speed. He headed to a large open field where he could cut the car loose and let it run.

By the time Luke had finished another beer, pumped two tanks of gas for customers hoping that Cooter was still open, he could hear his car in the distance.

Cooter pulled back up to the garage and back into the bay.

Luke frowned, thinking that Cooter had found something wrong. "What is it?"

"Only a minor thing. I know up until now you've only raced this thing up at the lake and around here." Cooter stated.

Luke nodded, 'yes'.

Cooter got out, closed the car door and picked up a booklet off the work bench. "These here my friend are the official specs on what a car or bike can and can not have to be legal this weekend in Placid."

"How?" Luke asked.

"Oh, lets say that I know a guy, who knows somebody, who, ..." Cooter began.

Luke nodded, "I get the picture."

"Yeah, well, anyway. Let me direct you to, ..." Cooter began flipping pages and finally handed the booklet to Luke, "Page 5 number 10."

Luke read where he was directed. Flipped back a few pages to make sure that the rule applied to the division that his car would be in. It did. He looked at Cooter, "So what are you waiting for?"

Cooter grinned widely, "You, to ask that, my friend." He picked up his welding helmet then went to the torches.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

After Cooter and Luke removed the glass from the doors and got them welded shut, they headed off for a well earned beer at the Boar's Nest. They parked both the Torinto and wrecker side by side out front and entered the quiet bar ahead of workers that should be getting off at the factory anytime now.

Just as Luke opened the door to the bar, Cooter heard a familiar car pulling up. He knew every car in town by the sound even before he turned to confirm it. Sure enough it was Beverly Hibbs that had pulled in right beside his wrecker. Cooter hadn't seen much of her since the night at the lake with the other couples so in his mind things were beginning to look up if she came all the way here to find him. "Umm, Buddy Row, take this and have a beer on me and get me one too. I'll be in directly." Cooter grinned widely and headed back toward the parking lot but not before shoving a five dollar bill in Luke's hand.

Luke shook his head at his buddy, looked at the five and shrugged his shoulders. _"Why not?"_ He said to himself as he went in and took a seat at the empty bar.

"What can I do for you Sugar?" Jane asked with a smile.

Luke layed the five on the bar, "I'll have a beer and Cooter wants one, but you may want to hold up on his a few minutes."

"Comin' up." Jane said as she rung up one beer and handed Luke the change just as Charlie the bartender placed Luke's beer on the bar.

While outside Cooter met Beverly before she could even get out of her car, "Hey there, Darlin." He said cheerfully.

Beverly looked up from the driver's seat. She hadn't planned on Cooter meeting her outside but it may work out better this way. She tried to put on a smile as she said, "Cooter I really need to talk to you."

"Well, sure, come on. We'll go inside and order a beer and have us a nice talk." Cooter suggested light heartiedly.

"I was actually thinking that maybe we could head up to the lake and have us a private conversation." Beverly suggested.

A private conversation and at the lake too! What more could a man want. "Sure thing. I'll just put the keys in the wrecker in case Dad or Luke need him. I'm sure they both be here a spell." Cooter put the keys in the wrecker in the usual place and went around to get into Beverly's car. She back out and headed toward the lake trying not to think about what she needed to talk to Cooter about.

Thanks Again! Please review! Thanks for the reviews of this chapter and pointing out I had Daisy in 2 counties at same time. I am reposting the correction.


	71. Together We Stand

NOTE: Thanks to Jaded and Vector for pointing out the error in the previous chapter about the push button phones. It was a mental slip. I plan to try to go back and fix it there, but have corrected it here. Enjoy!

Chapter 71

At the lake, the talk with Beverly had not went the way Cooter had hoped it would turn out. By the time they had finished talking Cooter would have gotten a better reaction from his manhood if he'd been swimming in an iced over lake. They could not get back to the Boar's Nest quick enough in his mind, though he'd tried to do and say all the right things.

Luke had drank several beers while Cooter was gone, but when he seen Cooter come in he flagged Jane down, "Looks like Cooter is back and looking a bit thirsty. Can you grab his beer?"

Jane looked at Cooter who seemed a bit pale, "Yeah, sure but he don't look like he feels good at all."

Luke played it off, "He's just late getting his beer is all." At least that's what Luke hoped it was.

Cooter stopped Jane half way to the bar, "Can you bring me a double shine over?"

Jane frowned. It was not like Cooter to drink shine in the middle of the week, "Sure Cooter, but Luke just ordered you a beer."

"Bring it to him. I'd rather have the shine." Cooter replied.

Jane watched as he headed toward Luke. "Sure Cooter, whatever you say."

Luke spent the entire evening, night and most of the next morning trying to get Cooter to tell him why he looked like he'd been kicked by a mule in the stomach.

Cooter managed to only give him useless information before Luke made sure that Cooter's father was driving him home after his third double shine.

01~~~~~~~~~~01

The past few days had passed slowly for John Duke while he was sure that for most of his family and friends things had went on pretty much business as usual. Oh he was sure that Pauline and maybe even Karen had missed him around the house but with the twins and Daisy there he was sure they had more than gotten by without him. After all one monkey or Duke didn't stop the world.

Pauline had gotten by sure enough. In the day time it was easy to think of John David being out in the fields or somewhere on the large farm, but it was those hours after everything in the big old house got still. Those were the hard hours. When she found herself alone in her and John's bed that she couldn't push his being gone out of her mind, that is when she felt truly alone. It was those times that she even found herself being angry at a someone who was not even there, but it was because he wasn't there that she was angry.

Pauline sent the girls on out of the kitchen just after supper. She told them she would do the dishes tonight. The fact was she needed the busy work to try to keep her mind off tomorrow's court date with Karen and the fact that she was waiting for John David's phone call. She checked the clock as she gathered the dishes. It was a lot earlier than it was on Monday night when John David called her. Pauline had no idea how the phone privileges were at that place where John David was so she had no idea when he'd call. All she knew was he said he'd call tonight. The dishes were done and the counter wiped down for the third time as she checked the clock once again. Pauline picked up the receiver of the phone just to make sure she had a dial tone on it. She did. Now she worried that John David had tried to call the split second she checked the dial tone. Of course Pauline knew how ridiculous she was being, but nearly jumped out of her skin when the phone did ring. "Hello?"

Pauline heard the same recording as before, "You have a collect call from the Tri-Counties Jail from, ..." Then she heard John's voice say his name before the recording continued, "To accept charges say 'yes' to decline, say 'no' or simply hangup."

Pauline let out the breath she was holding then said, "Yes, I'll accept."

"Pauline, Honey?" John said.

Pauline tried to hide the concern in her voice, "John David are you alright?"

"I'm find Honey." John said. "I'm calling you to make sure you don't need Jesse tomorrow."

Pauline tried to sound more confident than she was, "I'll be find John David. There is no sense in Jesse having to run all the way over here to help us out with our troubles. I'm going to have Daisy watch the twins and I'll go with Karen."

John asked, "Are you sure that you don't want Grace to watch the girls so that Daisy can go with you?"

So far Pauline had avoided talking directly to any of her family except for Carl and she was good with that, besides she didn't think Daisy should be anywhere near a courthouse or a jail. "No, I'll be fine. Besides, that's not a proper place for a young lady to be. I'd not LET Karen go herself if it wouldn't mean that she'd be in far worse trouble if she failed to appear."

John rubbed the back of his neck. How could Pauline think of 'not letting Karen go' to court to face her own charges? He was just glad she realized that Karen would be in deeper trouble IF she failed to appear. "That's right, she has to go tomorrow. I'll call you about this same time tomorrow."

"Alright." Pauline said as she checked to see it was just after 8 o'clock. They continued to talk until the time on the phone ran out. Pauline had just hung up the phone when it rang again. She almost hoped it was John David calling back as she answered, "Hello?"

"Mrs. Duke this is Jackie can I speak to Karen?" Jackie asked politely.

"I'm sorry Dear, she is grounded, but I'll tell her that you called." Pauline replied.

"Alright. Thanks." Jackie said while hoping that once Karen heard she'd called that Karen would call her back.

With the bottles made for the girls and the kitchen cleaned with in an inch of it's life, Pauline headed upstairs to check on the twins and hopefully take a nice long hot bath. At the top of the stairs she passed Jeb's empty room, looked in on the twins which she found freshly bathed, dressed and sound asleep, before she checked on the girls in Karen's room. After Pauline was satisfied that everything was in order she headed to her room to get ready for her bath. As she came by Karen's room heading for the tub she remembered the earlier call for Karen. She knocked and stuck her head inside, "Karen you had a call a bit ago. A girl named Jackie. I told her you were grounded but I'd let you know she called."

"Thanks Mother." Karen tried not to grit her teeth, but she was more than tired of being grounded.

After they heard Pauline walk away, Daisy asked, "Who is Jackie?"

"One of the girls that was at the lake 'that' night and who I plan on calling back just as soon as the water cuts on." Karen replied.

Daisy's eyes went wide. "You're not?"

"Yes, I am." Karen paused, "I am sick and tired of being grounded!"

Daisy tried to be reasonable, "But, if your mother catches you?"

Karen shrugged and said defiantly, "Then she catches me."

Daisy shook her head as she watched Karen head for the phone downstairs.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Over in Hazzard Jeb was making his own phone call to Blake. When he heard Blake's voice on the other end he began, "Blake. I'm glad I caught you. You are still going to bring both bikes to Placid this weekend, right?"

Blake grinned. He had to give it to Duke he was eager. "I've already got a truck lined up to bring them. I'll see you early Saturday morning."

"We're leaving out of here just after chores and we hope to have them done by first light." Jeb replied.

Now Blake wasn't from any farm but it sounded like Duke planned to leave Hazzard before dawn which was a bit early for him. "Well, I'll be there before things get cranked up. Remember the first event doesn't even kick off until afternoon."

"Yeah, I know. I'll see you there. If things go right you may not have to worry about hauling two bikes back home." Jeb said.

Blake grinned, "As much as I'd like to have the bike money in my pocket, just remember you got to get past me to get any real money."

Jeb replied, "I got that all figured out."

"You'll just have to put your money where your mouth is." Blake replied.

Jeb grinned, "I think I already did that when I told you I'd have you the money for the bike by the end of summer."

01~~~~~~~~~01

Jackie answered the phone quickly when it rang. She hoped no one else had heard it ring as she was also still grounded. "Hello."

"Jackie this is Karen. Mother told me you called." Karen explained.

Jackie smiled, "I was hoping she would tell you so you'd call back. I see you are still grounded too."

Karen replied, "Yes, at least until tomorrow, if not for life."

Jackie hated to tell her friend what she thought was likely to happen tomorrow. "Well, I've been thinking about tomorrow and all. Frank also pointed something out that I hadn't thought about, ..."

"What's that?" Karen asked.

"What is tomorrow's date?" Jackie asked Karen.

Karen thought for a second and replied, "The third."

"Of July." Jackie reminded, then added, "Followed immediately by the Fourth of July."

"Yeah. So? What does the Fourth have to do with anything?" Karen asked.

Jackie began to explain, "Well, you know all the festivities that go on here on the Fourth and with it being on a weekend this year they are having a whole weekend of stuff planned out at the fairgrounds."

"Yes, I know they are having a bunch of races and things out there. My cousins, some of their friends and Jeb are bringing a couple of cars over to race out there. Any other time, I know I'd be out there too, but Mom hasn't let me out of her sight since I pulled that disappearing act the other night." Karen said.

Jackie finished what Frank had told her, "Anyway, Frank said with all the stuff planned and all the parties and stuff that are likely to go on this weekend, ... that it would be just like the Judge to make real sure that we ALL are NOT at any of them."

Jackie's words sent a shiver down Karen's back, "So, you mean, ..."

"I'm just saying that I think we may want to find a bra to wear tomorrow that doesn't have under-wires in it." Jackie said.

Karen knew that like the bra she had on right now that most if not all her bras had the under-wires in them. She also remembered not being able to keep her bra because of the under-wires the last time. "Ummm, ... yeah. Do you really think we'll, ... go back to, ... jail tomorrow?"

Jackie heard that Karen had a hard time even talking about the possibility of going to jail. "Well, ... both charges do carry a sentence of a fine and / or jail time. So I think we need to be prepared for that possibility." Jackie heard footsteps getting closer to the living room, "I got to go."

Karen looked at the now silent phone for a long moment before she too hung up. As she went back to her room she thought about what Jackie had said. She went to her dresser and opened her underwear drawer and began to look through it.

Daisy was sitting on the bed looking at a picture album where she had been when Karen had left to use the phone. Seeing her cousin obviously looking for something she asked, "What are you doing?"

Karen looked up to try to keep the tears in her eyes from falling, "Looking for a bra without under-wires."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Friday afternoon took for ever to get there but was there all together too soon for Karen. She was more than ready for all this to be over and done with, but after talking to Jackie the night before she more worried than she had been before.

Pauline was for the hundredth time telling Daisy where everything for the twins was at and what their schedule was while Karen was fighting hard against the urge to either scream or start pacing. She knew that her cousin, Luke, had already been to jail for ten days for fighting and her father was currently in jail right now thanks to this judge that she was going to go before, surely he was getting tired of seeing the name Duke. Karen hoped by some sort of luck that she'd just get a fine. It was actually the best that she could hope for under the circumstances. Karen was sort of relieved when she was actually in the car and moving toward town.

Pauline looked over as she drove, "Once this is over we need to get Jeb's room ready for him and your cousins to get here tomorrow."

Karen took a deep breath and sighed, "Do you really think I'll be there to help?"

Pauline replied, "Well of course you will Darling. Just look at you girls. You all were never in any trouble in school, made good grades, ..."

"Mother, I really don't think the judge is going to care about all that. Besides, after Luke and Daddy, he just may be tired of seeing us Dukes." Karen said.

"Now, Karen, don't think like that. I know of most of the kids with you and you are all good kids." Pauline said as she parked outside the courthouse.

Karen couldn't keep from rolling her eyes at her mother's logic.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Once inside Karen was directed to a small room where a couple of the others were already waiting. The Deputy who was the bailiff told Pauline was told she could go on into the courtroom and wait.

Pauline asked, "Where is she going?"

"Ma'am the pubic defender will be in to talk with the defendants before they go into court." The Deputy explained.

Pauline replied, "She is my daughter. Can't I go in with her?"

The Deputy asked, "She is over eighteen?"

"Well, yes she is, but she is still my daughter." Pauline explained.

"I understand that Ma'am, but as far as the court is concerned she is an adult. The public defender only talks to the defendants then if he needs you he will call you." The Deputy explained.

Pauline wasn't happy but went in the courtroom and took a seat on one of the empty benches to wait for court to start.

Karen was talking to Jackie when Danny came in with Frank. This would be the first time the group had been together since the night that Karen slipped out of the house to go to the lake with them. Danny and Frank had joined Karen and Jackie but before they could say anything at all they were joined by a man not much older than any of them.

"Ladies, gentlemen. My name is Randy Reed. I work for the public defenders office. I have your files here with me. Let me see now, it looks like you were all charged each with one count of Underage Drinking and Indecent Exposure. The judge would like to see all of you together if you are all in agreement." Mr. Reed explained.

Roy looked at all his friends who was looking at him to be their voice of reason. "Well, yeah I guess that is fine with us all, but what do you suggest we do?"

Mr. Reed was baffled by the question for a moment, "Do? Well, the statements from the Troopers say that you were found in a state of undress and that you had all been drinking and are all under twenty-one. Is that correct?"

Again Roy looked at the others before answering, "Well, yes it is."

"Then there isn't much choice in what to do but to plead guilty to the charges." Mr. Reed explained.

"Whoa, wait a second! I thought you was here to try to help us." Larry said just a bit louder than necessary.

Mr. Reed sighed, "That's what I'm trying to do. If you go in there and plead not guilty, then the Troopers will then have to go over in detail the state of undress that you were each in and then the breathalyzer tests results will be introduced as well as each of your birth dates. I'll be truthful with you, this is Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend. The longer this proceeding lasts to come to the same outcome as if you all just plead guilty the worse it will be for you in the long run. My advice is to go in there together plead guilty and hope for the best. You have no defense. You can't prove you were not drinking or that you are over twenty-one or that you were not undressed. Plead guilty, I can explain that this was all just a one time poor judgment call."

The eight young adults were letting the advice sink in as the Bailiff knocked and said, "Two minutes."

Mr. Reed asked, "So what will it be?"

None of the young adults liked what they had heard but the facts were they couldn't deny that the charges were wrong. Roy asked them all, "Do we go with guilty?"

The other's responses varied from, "What choice do we have?" to "What the he-."

Roy turned to Mr. Reed. "I guess we go with guilty."

"You'll see it will be fine." Mr. Reed assured them. "Shall we?" He motioned for them to take their seats in the courtroom.

Once everyone was seated the bailiff called for everyone to rise until Hardcastle took his place on the bench and the court called to order. Judge Hardcastle signaled that they could be seated. "This trial is the State vs the following defendants: Peggy Brown, Karen Ann Duke, Larry Green, Roy Hughes, Daniel McCoy, Jacqueline Miller, Charlene Murphy, Frank White. Let the record show that the defendants are being represented by Mr. William Reed from the Pubic Defenders Office. Mr. Reed do you clients wish to proceed as one in this matter?"

"They do Your Honor." Mr. Reed replied.

"At this time would do they wish to enter a plea in these matters?" Judge Hardcastle asked.

Mr. Reed looked to each of his clients who didn't seem really happy about it but all nodded, 'yes'. "Yes, Sir Your Honor, they wish to plead guilty to the charges. From talking with the defendants they assure me that this was an error in judgment on their parts and wish to apologize for their actions."

Hardcastle nodded and with a slight grin said as he looked at the defendants before him, "I know you all may find this hard to believe but I was your age once. I know what it is like to be your age and that errors in judgment do happen from time to time. However, you all are over the age of eighteen which makes you all adults and as adults when we make an error in judgment we are liable for the outcome of those errors."

Hardcastle paused, "As I read the Troopers reports I compared the breathalyzer tests of the females to the males that they were with, ... now I hope that I'm wrong about what I saw, but I want to bring something to the attention of you young ladies, the parents that are here and to let you young men know that I see something here. I admit it could be a coincidence, but I'm putting you young men on notice, I'm watching you. It looks to me like at least some of you young men may have been trying to get your dates intoxicated to take advantage of them. I sincerely hope that I am wrong, but I'm not the only one who noticed the pattern. The Troopers also saw a pattern and mentioned it to me. So if we are right I highly suggest that I not see you young men in my court room again under the same circumstances. And, to you young ladies, I might suggest that you pick your dates just a bit more carefully in the future."

Letting that information sink in, Hardcastle paused a long minute, "Are there any objections to proceeding to the sentencing?"

Mr. Reed didn't even check with his clients before responding, "No objections, Your Honor."

Hardcastle began, "The defendants please rise."

Karen wasn't sure that her legs would hold her at the moment as she got to her feet. She was still trying to decide is Danny had tried to get her drunk just to take advantage of her. She decided to push that out of her mind for now and just get through the rest of the court proceedings.

Karen heard the Judge continuing with his speech, "You all have entered a plea of guilty to the charges of Underage Drinking and Indecent Exposure. The penalty for Underage Drinking is a fine of up to five hundred dollars and / or up to seventy-two hours in jail and for Indecent Exposure a fine of up to five hundred dollars and / or up to twelve months in jail. I hear-by sentence each of you to seventy-two hours in the Tri-Counties Jail due to the limited space here at the County jail for Underage Drinking. I am also going to fine each of you two hundred and fifty dollars and sentence you to twelve months in jail for the Indecent Exposure, ..."

The court room broke out into a mix of mumbles.

Hardcastle tapped his gavel, then continued, "Which I am suspending the twelve months and placing each of you on six months probation. I strongly advise against getting in any more trouble for the next six months or I will impose the full twelve month sentence. Is that clear?"

As soon as the eight young adults began to breath again, they replied, "Yes, Sir."

"Good. Real good. Bailiff they are all yours. Tri-Counties should have a van here in the next few minutes. Being as this is a holiday weekend with so many parties planned I figured this would be the best way to avoid another lapse in judgment. Have a nice weekend." Judge Hardcastle said. "Court adjourned."


	72. A Longer Evening After a Long Day

Chapter 72

Over in Hazzard, the day had passed by normally. The boys were trying to get all the chores done and anything that they could do today, instead of the weekend, they were doing. Jesse couldn't help but worry, his big toe had been hurting all day. He wasn't sure if he was worried over his niece's court date today or the boys up coming races tomorrow and Sunday. It didn't really matter either way, something wasn't right and he knew it as he prepared dinner.

Jeb had been more quiet than usual all day. He couldn't help but worry about what was going on with his sister. Also in the back of his mind, he wondered why his parents hadn't came out and told him and the rest of the family about his mother being pregnant. He thought maybe they were just waiting for his father to get home from serving his thirty days in jail. When his mother had gotten pregnant before, his father couldn't wait to tell everyone, though his mother did seem a bit embarrassed. He hoped that his mother would call when she got home from court to tell them how things had gone. Jeb had made up his mind though, if she hadn't called by dinner he was calling home.

Luke had been doing what he could of the chores, but made sure that Bo and Jeb kept busy all day long with extra chores to make up for them being gone over night tomorrow night. Now, with everything done except the evening chores after dinner, Luke was under the hood of his car checking and rechecking everything that he could before heading out to Placid in the morning.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Pauline could not believe that the Judge was actually going to lock up all the kids, especially her baby girl. She knew most of the kids, they were all good kids. Pauline already her hand fan out and was fanning herself but now she was fanning faster. She was sure that if John David was there she would have fainted dead away. As she looked on, the bailiff and the other officers were putting handcuffs on the kids.

Karen had been told to turn toward the officer and he was putting the handcuffs on her. She looked up and her eyes met her mother's for a brief second.

Pauline saw just how scared her daughter was in that brief second. She wanted to do something, anything to make this all go away, but she was out of her element here. Pauline had no idea what, if anything, could be done to help her daughter as she headed out of the courtroom. She couldn't stop the tear that fell to her cheek as she remembered the look on Karen's face.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

John was also concerned about what was happening with his oldest. He knew that he would have to wait at least until eight o'clock to call so that Pauline wouldn't be busy with the twins or dinner. No matter how much John hoped things went well for Karen, he just couldn't shake the bad feeling he was having.

Sitting at the table staring at the day old newspaper that he was not reading, John was lost in thought as Dean tapped him on the shoulder.

"I got some sugar and maybe some yeast coming with chow." Dean said.

John nodded, "That will work. It will make things happen faster for sure. I'll add it late tonight."

Dean smiled. They all knew that Green didn't need to know about their stashed hooch in the making.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Daisy buttoned up Emily's sleeper after changing her for the second time in ten minutes. It seemed like the baby girl had waited to get changed just to wet the diaper again. As Daisy put the cloth diaper in the diaper pail, she wondered why her aunt used the cloth diapers instead of the disposable diapers.

Daisy checked the time it was nearly five o'clock and there was no sign of Pauline or Karen. Daisy hated waiting. She would much rather be there in the courtroom knowing what was going on than sitting here alone with her twin cousins, but this is where everyone thought she should be, so here she was.

"There now Emily you are all dry, again." Daisy said as the infant cooed back at her. "Your welcome. Now let's get you a bottle so you won't be hungry when your Momma and big sister get home."

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

The heavy steel barred door opened with a loud pop in front of the Tri Counties officer and closed with a loud clang behind Karen and the rest of her friends as they entered the sally port of the jail. She couldn't help but jump at the sound of the door opening, but hearing it close and lock behind her was far worse.

They were told to stand against the wall once they were past the second door. Karen couldn't believe what was happening to her and had withdrew into her own thoughts. She wasn't concerned about Danny or her other friends. She hadn't even been paying them any attention until she saw Frank lean over and kiss Jackie.

That had done it, now there was an officer in front of them making the guys move into a room while making the girls move to the other end of the hallway. The girls were taking into another room and one by one asked pages of questions about themselves ranging from name, address, phone number, to medical history. They were then moved to the room where the guys had been taken but were now gone. An officer was in the room with them where they were made one by one to strip down, shower, then be sprayed with this cold spray from a sprayer that looked like what her father used to spray her mother's flowers when they were infested with bugs. Karen was now dressed in black and white stripes clothes that were at least one size bigger than she needed. At the moment she was just glad she had been able to keep her own underclothes.

"Alright, ladies. You'll be going out the door and up the stairs." The female officer instructed.

Karen followed the others to the top of the stairs where another female officer was unlocking a door. It was a solid steel door with about an eight inch square glass window in it.

The officer who had unlocked the door said, "Grab a mattress there. It should have a pillow, a blanket, two sheets, pillow case, two towels and a wash cloth and a hygiene kit inside."

Karen was behind Jackie who had picked up her mattress and stepped to the open door. Karen followed Jackie through the door and once Peggy and Charlene were inside the door closed behind them with a bang, then they heard key turn in the lock and the officer pulled the door to check to see if it was secure, ... it was.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

It was nearly dinner time, John was still sitting at the table and had read no more of the old newspaper in front of him than he had an hour ago. At least to the others it looked like he was reading and they let him him be. John figured that Karen's case would be the last of the day and on a holiday weekend, surely the Judge and everyone else would be in a hurry to leave work and head for their weekend plans. John heard the sound of keys before he heard the officer's footsteps entering the cell block and opening the cell door where John was to let another man inside. John sighed, being a holiday weekend even the Tri County jail was bound to see more people. Then he took a second look at the new man in the cell. He knew him. In fact the young man had been summoned to dinner at his house last Sunday after his daughter had slipped out a second story window to go out with him.

After seeing his buddies taken a different direction, Danny stepped in the cell he'd been directed to after getting his mattress and other items. As he looked around he spotted a couple of guys at one table playing cards, a couple more on their bunks, and an older man reading a paper.

Dean looked up and seen a guy he'd known in school coming in the cell, "McCoy what in the world?"

Danny took a second look at the guy that had called his name. He remembered him from a couple classes, "Carter?"

"Yeah, that's me." Dean replied. "Did they just arrest you or bring you from court?"

"From court," Danny sighed as he put his mattress on the empty top bunk against the wall.

John knew he hadn't been noticed so he held the paper up just a bit higher. He'd found out long ago you could find out a lot when people didn't know you were listening.

"Let me guess, ... You went before Hardcastle?" Dean said more as a statement then a question.

Danny frowned, "Yeah, how did you know?"

Dean gave Danny a grim look, "Because I went before him on a Friday afternoon too." Danny motioned to cell surrounding them, "I get to spend my first year out of school here."

"Ah, man! I guess I should feel pretty lucky about now." Danny said, though lucky was not how he felt at all. "What did he give you a year for?"

"Battery was the formal charge." Dean frowned before explaining, "It was over a fight that happened prom night. At least I was lucky enough to get to graduate before going to court. Enough about me, what about you?"

Danny still hadn't given the others in the cell more than a glance when he first came in the cell, so he answered Dean honestly, "Well, Roy, Larry, Frank and myself got the idea to take some girls out. After the movie, we headed up to the lake, ... one thing lead to another, you know a few beers, a swim and about the time I thought all that was going to pay off the law showed up. I was, " Danny held his thumb and first finger up with little to no space between them, "That close. Here I'd waited all this time for her brother not to be around, got that close and then the law showed up. Talk about a date not ending the way you planned."

"So who was the girl?" Dean asked. He could think of several girls that it wouldn't have taken a movie or much else to get what you wanted from them.

"Karen, you know the one in gym class that always wore those tight short shorts." Danny replied.

Dean was now putting two and two together and getting a bit more than four, "Ummmm, ... please tell me you aren't talking about Duke's sister, Karen?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that's her. I watched those shorts all year long in gym class and had to take a cold shower several times just to get my jeans back on for class. But, let me tell you what, as good as those shorts looked, oh man you should see her without them." Danny continued to talk.

Dean was trying to figure out just how to shut the big mouth up before he rubbed Karen's dad wrong but so far couldn't get a word in edge wise.

"We got the girls to slip out with us the Friday night after we'd got caught at the lake. It only took one beer to get her right where I wanted her." Danny bragged.

Before Dean could say anything, John said as he let the newspaper down to show his face, "And just where exactly was it you wanted her?"

Danny almost was able to hide the groan that escaped as he looked up to see none other than Karen's father sitting at the table across from the room wearing the same black and white stripes that he himself now was wearing. "Mr. Duke? What are you doing here?"

"Never mind about me, should I take it that Karen is here too?" John nearly growled at the young man, who to his thinking had caused Karen to get in trouble.

Danny tried to swallow past the lump in his throat as he nodded 'yes'.

John grumbled something that no one could make out, before asking in a very no nonsense tone. "For how long?"

Suddenly Danny's mouth was very dry. He managed to get out, "Seventy two hours."

John sighed, "Well, for the next three days it looks like we're going to be roommates. I suggest you watch your mouth about my daughter."

Danny remembered the way that John Duke had suggested he take a seat beside Karen the morning after they had been together after Karen had snuck out to be with him.

"Ummm, ... Yes, Sir." Danny said as he tried not to studder, while swearing to himself as he thought, _'Of ALL cells to end up in, ... I end up in THE ONE with Karen's Dad. Great! Just Great!'_

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

After posting I went back and edited some typos that Jaded pointed out. She also thought that the term Sally port would be unfamiliar, so here is the definition in case it is needed: The primary modern meaning for **sally port** is a secure, controlled entryway, as of a fortification or a prison.

PS Vector thanks for reviews. As for Cooter, Beverly may just be scared - you'll have to keep reading to find out, but event wasn't as protected as it could have been!


	73. How NOT to Spend a Holiday Weekend

Chapter 73 - How NOT to Spend a Holiday Weekend

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Pauline Duke was a strong woman when she had to be, but John David had for the most part taken care of her so long that she hadn't had to be a real strong person since his running around days. Pauline couldn't help taking the time to drive back to the farm from town to yell at her husband who could no more hear her, than the tears she shed over her daughter did to make anything any better. All too soon Pauline was pulling up to the farm house and even before she got parked Daisy was out the door.

With both twins asleep in their bassinets in the living room, Daisy went out on the front porch. The way the car was parked Daisy couldn't tell if Karen was with Pauline or not. When she seen her aunt get out of the car, "Aunt Pauline, how did everything go?" As Pauline started toward the house, Daisy still had not seen Karen.

"Let's go in the house and I'll tell you about it." Pauline said.

Daisy nodded and followed her aunt back inside. Not seeing Karen with Pauline more than worried Daisy.

Pauline set her purse down and headed to the kitchen to start dinner.

"Let me get you a cup of coffee Aunt Pauline. Set down a minute and relax." Daisy insisted.

Pauline took her niece up on the offer and sit down.

Daisy came back to the table with two cups of coffee and sit across from her aunt. She took at sip of her coffee and waited for her aunt to tell her what happened.

Pauline also took a sip of the hot brown liquid. It was soothing, so she took another drink before she started, her voice ragged and shaky, "Karen, ... won't be home for seventy-two hours."

"Oh my!" Daisy gasped and placed her hand over her mouth trying to regain her composure for her aunt's sake.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

Patty looked up from her place at the table where a puzzle was in the process of being put together. She could tell that these four girls had never been in trouble before in their lives. "Are you all just coming from court?"

Jackie answered for the group, "Yeah, how did you know?"

Patty guessed, "You went before Hardcastle at 4pm."

Charlene asked innocently, "How do you know that?"

Patty gestured to herself and the other girl across the cell on her bunk, "That's when we saw him. We're both waiting to be transported out to the Women's Correctional Facility down in Claxton." She sighed before continuing, "It wasn't long ago I was tired of working a dead end job, taking care of a house, husband and kids. At the time I would have given my eye teeth for a vacation, ... be careful what you ask for, ... I got one, ... an eighteen month one, here."

Peggy replied, "Oh, wow! What did you do?"

Patty replied, "I was in the wrong place, wrong time with my husband. How was I supposed to know he was picking up a load of shine when we went for a ride?"

Karen spoke to the other girl on the bunk, "What about you?"

"Well, I was supposed to go to court on a Monday. After a couple of the people I was with had seen the Judge, the rest of our court hearings were put off until Friday at 4 pm. As for what happened, some 'friends' of mine, and I now use the term loosely, talked me into riding to a liquor store with them. How was I supposed to know that they planned on robbing it. I was the only one camera. Just being in the car, on the passenger side, got me a two year trip up river." Sharon replied. While she was talking, Sharon had moved from her bunk to the table where the others were standing. She layed a letter down on the table that she had been replying to when the four other girls arrived.

Karen had been glancing at the puzzle as they talked and couldn't help but to see a return address on the envelope that the girl had layed down. "Are you from Hazzard?"

Sharon replied, "No, why?"

"Well, I couldn't help seeing your envelope with a Hazzard return address on it. I just thought you may be from there." Karen explained.

Sharon shook her head, "No, I'm not from Hazzard, but I know a couple people there. Is that where you are from?"

"No, but I do have some cousins there." Karen replied, then added, "Most people around there know the Dukes."

Sharon nodded 'yes', "You mean Luke Duke is your cousin?"

Karen replied, "Yes, him, Bo and Daisy." She couldn't help but hope that Luke wasn't involved with this girl with her being in so much trouble.

"I don't know any of them well, but I don't think Luke likes me too much. I've dated a friend of his on and off for awhile, ... Mark McCormick, ... that's who the letter is from. I think Luke used to date his sister, Robin." Sharon explained.

Karen nodded 'yes', "Yes, he did. I've heard of her, maybe seen her at the farm a couple of times on holidays and stuff, but I don't think I know Mark."

Sharon nodded, "So how long are you here for or are you going up with us?"

"No, we're here for seventy-two hours." Karen said thankfully.

Peggy added, "Just long enough to ruin any plans we had for the Fourth."

Patty replied, "I don't know why you all are here, but after seeing Hardcastle, you should be glad that's the only plans that got messed up."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

At Jesse Duke's farm, dinner was far more quiet than usual as the teens ate in silence, each busy with their own thoughts. Just as everyone was getting up from the table, stacking the dishes, cleaning up or heading to the porch the phone rang.

Jeb wanted to answer the phone, but Jesse was closer. He tired to listen to Jesse's end of the conversation as Jesse spoke softly to the caller.

"Duke Farm, this is Jesse Duke." Jesse answered. Hearing his sister-in-law on the other end of the phone line Jesse asked, "So how did things go today?"

_As Pauline replied, her voice cracked as she spoke, "Oh, Jesse, ... things went terrible, just terrible."_

"What happened?" Jesse asked, knowing that Pauline was likely being over dramatic.

_"That Judge, that horrible man, that Luke and John went before in Court, ..." Pauline began._

"Uh-huh, ..." Jesse said trying to encourage Pauline to go on with the details.

_"He, well he had the nerve to lock up those kids. All of them." Pauline said._

Jesse shook his head 'yes'. He hated to admit it, but this really didn't surprise him, "How long?" He heard Pauline sniff before she replied.

_"Seventy-two hours." She said as if it were severnty-two years. Pauline hadn't been real concerned with the fine or the suspended sentence, all she was concerned with was how long her daughter would be in that place._

"I see." Jesse said knowing full well that all the kids were listening to his part of the conversation. "Are you alright?"

_"I don't know Jesse, I just really don't know." Pauling said with a sob, "I know them out drinking and such was wrong, but John and I could have dealt with her about that. Jesse she just looked so scared, I'm not sure what I can do to get her out of there."_

Jesse hated to be the bearer of bad news to Pauline, but with John not at home, it looked like he was going to have to be the one, "Pauline, there is no more that you can do for Karen than I could for Luke or John. She got herself into this. Karen is an adult now, Pauline, there is just somethings you can't make go away."

_"I know all that Jesse, really I do, but I keep seeing the look on her face as they were taking her out of the courtroom." Pauline explained._

Jesse well remembered the look on Luke's face as Rosco was taking him out of the courtroom. "I know all about that Pauline. Have you heard from John?"

_"He called last night to see if I wanted you to go with us today, but I just didn't see you coming all this way for that. He is supposed to call about eight tonight, which is why I called you early." Pauline said, then added, "How is Jeb, is he alright?"_

"He's fine, would you like to talk to him or do you want me to tell them all what happened?" Jesse asked.

_Pauline was tired, bone tired. "Jesse, I'm just not sure I can tell this again. Would you mind? I still have to talk to John David in an hour or so."_

Jesse replied, "That's fine, I'll take care of it. Now you just get a cup of coffee and relax awhile, there is nothing else that can be done, I assure you of that."

_"Thanks Jesse." Pauline said._

"You just tell John I was asking about him. If you or Daisy need anything let me know. The boys will be at your house sometime tomorrow night. I think they are going straight to the track from here." Jesse said.

_"I'll tell him. You just tell those fool boys to stay out of trouble and to be safe in that foolish race." Pauline didn't like the idea of the boys racing a car anymore than she had liked it when John David used to insist on racing that blame car of his._

Jesse hung the phone up and knew that three sets of eyes were on him even before he turned around. As he turned, he was not disappointed.

Jeb spoke first, "What happened?"

Jesse reached out an layed his hand on the young man's shoulder, "Karen's lucky. She got seventy-two hours."

Luke let out a sigh of relief, he knew Karen could have fared a lot worse.

Bo shook his head. He couldn't believe that in the last six weeks his Uncle and two of his cousins had been arrested and sentenced to jail. Now at the age of seventeen, he wondered just how long he'd make it without being arrested once he turned eighteen.

Jeb frowned. He would agree with his mother on this issue, Karen or no other girl should have to be in jail. He just couldn't imagine seeing his sister behind bars like he had seen Luke, but he also knew that Jesse was right, ... she was lucky to only get seventy-two hours.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

John looked at the others in the cell. Green was standing in front of the table looking at something on television, two of the others were playing cards, and Dean and Danny were on talking on Dean's bunk. John made his way, unnoticed by the others to the phone on the other side of the cell. He dialed the number and waited for Pauline to finally answer the phone.

"John David?" Pauline said.

"Honey, are you alright?" John asked already knowing what she was going to tell him.

"I'm fine." Pauline tried to sound fine, even though she was still way out of sorts. "John, ..."

Stopping her before she could say more, "Pauline, Honey, I already know."

"But, how?" Pauline asked.

John tried to be gentle as he could with his wife, "I have a new roommate, ... Karen's 'friend' Danny."

Pauline wasn't sure why it hadn't came to her before now, but she just realized that Karen and John were in the same jail. "So, Karen's there with you?"

"Somewhere, here. I think they house the females upstairs." John answered.

"So, you haven't seen her?" Pauline asked.

John replied, "No, and I doubt that I will see her."

"But, how? Why? You said Danny was with you?" Pauline asked. She had no idea how things worked at such a place. The only time she'd ever been in a jail was the time she had insisted on going to see Luke.

John rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes, Danny is here with me. I'm not sure where the others are. He said the girls were taken down the hall while the guys were processed."

"John David you have got to go check on her. She looked so scared when they took her out of the courtroom." Pauline insisted.

"Pauline, ... I plan to ask and see if they will tell me how she is, but as for me going to see her, ... I just don't see that happening." John tried to explain.

"Well, why not? I mean she is your daughter and all. Surely you could go see her for just a minute." Pauline said.

John looked at the three quarter inch steel bars that separated his cell from the main hallway. It wasn't like he had free reign of the place and could go anywhere he pleased. Yet, he had created the naive being that he was talking to by sheltering her every chance he'd gotten. When he heard that she had insisted going to see Luke, her favorite nephew, in jail a month ago, John nearly couldn't believe his ears. "Pauline, Honey, it's not like I can just run up there."

"Well, I don't see what harm it would do, ..." Pauline said without thinking that John David was locked in a cell behind bars and her daughter was locked in a room behind a steel door.

John decided to try to satisfy his wife, "Alright, Honey, I promise to try to check on her, but she will be home soon."

"Not soon enough." Pauline fumed.

John grimaced. He felt for his oldest when she did get home since he wouldn't be there to run interference for her.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The evening passed slowly for the girls as they talked and became acquainted with the other two females in their cell which was a closed in cinder block room with thick square glass windows that let light in but did nothing for you as far as seeing anything outside.

Charlene had been beside herself with worry about what her parents would think or do to her about all this once she got home. She was sure that she was now an embarrassment to her entire family.

Peggy like Jackie figured by dating Larry that she would eventually get into trouble, but the thing was, she hadn't figured it involving a holiday weekend in jail.

Lights out came far too soon and yet not soon enough. Karen tried her best to get comfortable on the thin noisy fire resistant mattress on the hard steel bunk with the same type pillow that rattled every time she made a move. With so much happening today, it was only now that she had the chance to think back to the Judge's words about the guys. At first Karen tried to convience herself that she knew Danny, but then she began to wonder just how well she knew him, if at all.

She whispered to avoid waking anyone, "Jackie are you still awake?"

"No." Was Jackie's simple answer.

"I've been thinking about what the Judge said today." Karen said.

Jackie couldn't help but roll her eyes, "Really?"

"I mean the part about the guys trying to get us drunk to take advantage of us." Karen explained.

Under other circumstances Jackie may not have told so much about her private business but it seemed right to do so now, "Well, as for Frank, he knew he didn't have to get me drunk."

Karen couldn't hide the surprise on her face even in the dim light the night light provided. "You mean, ... you've done, ... that before?"

Jackie shrugged her shoulders before replying without giving exact information, "Frank and I have been together over a year now."

Karen was still a bit surprised but asked, "So what do you think about Danny or the others?"

Jackie thought for a minute before answering, "Larry, I wouldn't put it past him. I'm not real sure how much Roy had to twist Peggy's arm to get her to drink that much. She likes to drink. As for Danny, I don't know. He doesn't hang out with Frank and Roy that much, at least not when I've been around. Besides, you was with him. What do you think?"

"That's just it. I'm not sure. I really thought that he liked me for me. He did make me feel very different from when I've went out with other guys, but then again, I was drinking." Karen said in defeat.

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Thanks for sticking with me and continueing to read adn review! Even if you are jsut joining the story, reviews of past chapters are more than welcome.

Now buckle your seatbelts and get your helment on, the boys are off to the races! and we get to join them!


	74. Off to the Races!

Thanks to WENN9366, I was able to create a Living Journal to put up the starting position posters. You can view it by clicking the link on my profile page to keep up with all the racing action. I will update it with the following chapters to keep you up to date on exactly who is racing who. A picture is worth a thousand words so I thought this would help you follow along.

0101010101010101

Chapter 74 – Off to the Races

Early the next morning, the Duke farm in Hazzard County was a flurry of activity as the boys hurried to take care of the needed morning chores even before the sun started to come up. As soon as they were finished each loaded a small over night bag with a couple changes of clothes into Luke's Torino. Bo and Luke also packed their racing helmets and racing suits. Jeb made sure his racing suit was packed well hidden in his bag. As for his helmet, it would be with Blake and the bike, his bike after this weekend if everything went good.

Soon enough the three cousins were headed toward Placid County Fair Grounds just as the sun dawned. Luke was driving his car there even if he would not be able to race.

Bo asked, "Is Cooter meeting us on the road or there?"

Luke replied, "I talked to everyone else, they said they would meet us there, but Cooter, I'm not so sure what he's doing."

Jeb asked, "Why not?"

"Well, when I asked him if he wanted us to travel together or meet us there, he told me to go ahead and he'd see us there, ... unless he got a better offer." Luke said.

"What did he mean by that?" Bo asked.

Luke shrugged his shoulder, "That's what I'm not sure about. At first I thought he was joshing me, but the more I think about it, I'm not so sure because he told me IF he didn't show, not to worry about him. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if he shows up."

The others agreed with Luke, then Jeb said, "I plan to call and see if we or at least I can get in to see Dad and Karen sometime today or tomorrow since we are in town."

Luke nodded, "Alright, let us know when and we'll try to plan to head over in between races."

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

For John Duke Saturday morning was starting pretty much like it had each morning since he'd been in jail. He was awake long before the coffee cart came rattling down the hall. It was only now that he chose to get up and make his bunk before heading toward the table and coffee. With the others still getting up, John took this opportunity to talk to the officer, "I understand they brought my daughter in yesterday for seventy-two hours, ... is there anyway you can check on her for me?"

The officer frowned a bit wondering how a daughter and father could end up in jail at the same time, but replied, "I'll try. I have to take the cart up there too. What's her name?"

John replied, "Karen Ann Duke."

The officer replied as he wrote the name down in a pocket notebook, "I'll see what I can do."

John replied, "I appreciate it."

Most of the other guys in the cell also got up an headed toward the table for their coffee, in fact everyone but Green and Danny were now up. As far as he was concerned Green could sleep until John was released, but there was something personal with Danny. John was determined if the kid was man enough to take liberties with his daughter after getting her to sneak out of the house to meet him, then he was man enough to start acting like a man. John went over to Danny's bunk and layed his hand on his ankle as he said, "Roll out of there son."

Dean and the others had pretty much gathered Mr. Duke's and Danny McCoy's relationship. For some reason, Dean pitied the guy, but another part of him envied him. John Duke's daughter Karen was a looker. It seemed to him that McCoy was lucky to be alive after her father found out what had went down between them, now it seemed that Mr. Duke was trying his best to see to it that McCoy walked a nice straight line, at least while he was around him. Dean gave McCoy credit, he knew not to buck Mr. Duke as he rolled sleepily out of the top bunk.

John reminded, "Don't forget to make your bunk."

Danny had stayed up pretty late last night and didn't sleep all that well even when he layed down so it felt like he had only just now closed his eyes, but he nodded, 'yes' to Mr. Duke as he stumbled to the toilet section of the cell to take care of his morning business. Afterwards he made his way to the table where Dean handed him a cup of coffee, "Thanks." McCoy mumbled. After a few sips of the simi warm brown liquid Danny went to his bunk and spread out his blanket and sheet putting them into some order, then returned to the table to try to wake up.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

In the female cell upstairs, Karen couldn't remember going to sleep, if indeed she had, before the brighter over head lights suddenly came on only seconds before the steel door was unlocked by the officer. As she blinked away the sleep in her eyes she saw the officer at the door, as well as Patty and Sharon each taking cups of something and setting them on the table. Karen was just sitting up and trying to get awake when she heard the officer at the door ask, ...

"So which one is umm, ..." He looked at his notebook, "Karen Ann Duke?"

Karen was surprised to heard her name as Patty was pointing to her. She replied, "That's me. Why?"

The officer replied, "It seems your father is downstairs and asked me to check on you."

Karen smiled, "Tell him I'm fine." There was something about her father, even here, checking on her that made her feel safe.

After the cell door closed, there were many questions that Karen was asked. She took the next little bit explaining why her father was here and had been here since Monday.

01~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01

The Duke boys showed up at the track long before the gates were supposed to be open. They saw several food trucks and concession vehicles being routed around the line at the gate they were told to park at. A ways down from them they saw another line forming of folks that must be spectators.

Bo and Luke watched as Jeb kept looking back in the line of competitors they were in obviously watching for someone. So far they had seen some of the other regulars at the Hazzard races pulling in behind them. They had seen Enos Straight, Dobro Doolin, Brodie Smith and Mark McCormick to name a few showing up, but so far hadn't seen hide nor hair of Cooter Davenport.

Finally just before nine o'clock Jeb nudged Luke's arm, "I'll be back in a few."

Luke looked on as Jeb quickly made his way down the line to where a pickup truck had just pulled in hauling two dirt bikes. Luke watched a moment as the two guys talked, then his attention was taken away by a pair of hot pink short shorts and a white halter top that seemed all to eager to get to where she was going. Without looking at Bo, Luke said, "I'll be back, keys are in it if the gates open."

Bo looked after Luke, then back at Luke's car, then to where Luke was heading. "Dang it, Luke!" Bo exclaimed as he hopped up on the front fender of Luke's Torino. Bo knew he couldn't just leave the car there in line in case the gates opened and Jeb had already taken off somewhere.

Luke caught up to the long legged brunette and asked, "Where's the fire?"

"No fire, I just got to get the fliers up front of this line and get them given out before the gates open in a bit." The girl about Luke's age replied.

"Why don't I help ya? Then you'll get done twice as fast." Luke replied.

She replied as they kept walking toward the front of the line. "Sure, if you don't mind. I'm Amber, are you racing this weekend?"

"My car is going to be in several of the races, but I'm not driving it this weekend." Luke said.

Amber asked, "Why not?"

"It's only been a couple weeks since I got some broken ribs. Everyone is worried I'd re-injure them if I raced, so I'll be watching them from the side lines." Luke said.

Amber grinned widely, "Want some company?"

Suddenly, not racing today didn't seem like it was going to be all that bad as Luke replied, "Sure thing."

Amber and Luke continued to talk as they gave out the fliers and had just gotten back to Bo and the Torino when Jeb road up on the bike Blake had brought for Jeb to use. Both Bo and Luke had to check out the bike that Jeb was on. Luke asked just a bit surprised, "So this is the bike you're planning on buying?"

"This is it!" Jeb smiled widely.

Luke and Bo both knew the machine looked to be powerful, but it was Luke who spoke first, "Well, I can sure see why you want it, but why is your friend getting rid of it?"

"Wait until you see his new bike." Jeb replied. "Hey, looks like they are opening the gate.

NARRATOR: "Now folks for those of you who have been to the Placid County Fair, you just may not recognize the fairgrounds today. There are people from all around the State here sitting up for a weekend of fun. They have made a dirt oval track, drag stripe, a motor-cross track, as well as layed out a course for the overland moonshine race.

The Placid Volunteer Fire Department is set up over there with a hot dog stand, right beside them is the Hazzard County Orphanage with a lemonade stand, the Chickasaw County Ladies Club has hot fudge Sundays and wouldn't ya know that Boss Hogg has went whole hog with his BBQ truck. Just past the vendors is where all the cars that will be racing are putting on the final touches and beside them the dirt bikes are getting ready to start the first race."

Bo, Luke and Amber made their way over to where the cars were sitting up, while Jeb took his bike over do some last minute checks on it.

Several minutes later the loud speaker squealed to life, a booming voice began to speak, "Ladies and Gentlemen Happy 4th of July and Welcome to the Annual Tri-Counties Race Weekend. We have a whole weekend of fun lined up for you and tonight we have a special treat, ... Just as soon as it gets dark we will have a fireworks display to celebrate the fourth."

He paused to let the cheers quiet down, then continued. "We need all drivers, crew chiefs and riders to head over to the registration tent for a drivers meeting at this time. For the rest of you, if you don't want to miss any racing action, now is the time to visit the concession stands. The dirt bikes will kick off the events with the first round of the double elimination drag racing event. The last time I looked there were sixteen bikes registered so we're in for a lot of good racing. The riders and drivers are currently drawing positions for their starting positions for all the races. We encourage you to stop over and check out the line ups just as soon the drivers meeting is complete. The next event will be the cars drag race. Then we will move the action over to the round track for the preliminary bike, then car races. We'll finish up today with another round of drag racing. Remember, after the fireworks you'll you'll want to hurry home so you can get back early in the morning. Gates open at ten for the finals of the drag racing, the feature dirt track races, then the overland moonshine race and last but not least the motor-cross event."

Jeb joined Bo and Luke as the three made their way over to the drivers' meeting. Along with going over the rules of the races the drivers each drew a number that would be their starting position in the first round of racing. Jeb drew a number four so he would be racing in the second race against whoever drew the number three position.

Bo and Luke looked around and saw several familiar faces from Hazzard and others they knew from some of the late night races at the lake. There was one familiar face that both noted had not showed up for the drivers meeting, Cooter Davenport. Bo drew the number eleven and would be racing whoever drew the number twelve position.

As they waited for the posters of the starting positions to be put up Bo asked, "Think we should call back home and check on Cooter?"

Something in the way Cooter had told Luke not to worry if he didn't show up, told Luke that such a call may throw a monkey wrench into whatever plans their friend had for the weekend. "I think that is the last thing Cooter would want us to do." Luke winked at Bo as he saw Bo would be racing Joe Fox from Placid County.

Jeb was checking out the bikes starting lineup to see he'd be racing Jeff Ward from Chickasaw County. Jeb had heard of him, but had never went up against him.

Luke asked Jeb since he had grown up in Placid County, "Do you know this Joe Fox?"

"I've heard of him. I think he's more your age, but I've never seen him race." Jeb said.

Luke put his arm around Amber, "It's going to be awhile before Bo will need to get lined up. Want to head over and see just how good my other cousin is on two wheels?"

Amber smiled back at Luke, "Lead the way."

In the first race of the day, Charlie Sun and Andrew Short went up against each other with Charlie Sun winning the first round.

Jeb and Jeff Ward moved up to the starting line, both signaled they were ready for the Christmas tree to be activated. As the lights lite up and went to green, Jeb was off the line first taking an easy lead over the other racer, a lead which he was able to hang on to until he reached the finish line.

In the third, race Josh Grant beat out Bobby Moore.

In the fourth race, Bo recognized the name of one of the racers, Jamie Dobbs. He had went to school with Jamie's sister Jill.

Jeb however recognized the racer that Dobbs would be going up against, Matt Kinnison. From everything Jeb knew about the racer, if he couldn't beat you fair and square, he wasn't against playing dirty to get his win.

Kinnison had a bit more racing experience under his belt than the younger Dobbs, not to mention he had more horses under him so he was able to get the win pretty easily.

The next race was a couple of guys that likely had never entered an official race before since no one knew them. Both looked a lot inexperienced as they came off the start line and it was a wonder that both made it to the finish line without crashing. In the end Gary Jones had beaten Jeremy Lusk and would move on to the next heat.

In the next race was Kevin Windham, Blake and Jeb knew him from other races. He was a bit older than them, he had been riding motor-cross for some time and had been talking about wanting to put in a biker bar up around the Charlotte area. Kevin lined up against Mark Jones from Chickasaw County who had ran a couple of small races. There was no doubt from the start of the race that Kevin would be the winner of this round.

The next race was between James Stewart and Blair Morgan, both were from over in Hatchapee County and seemed to have a running rivalry with each other. Today would be Blair Morgan's turn to win and move on in the competition, while James would move on to the loser's bracket and continue on there.

The final motorcycle race of the morning would be between Jeb's friend Blake Horton and Greg Wilson who had ran only a few races before. Blake took an easy lead over Wilson to move forward in the day's competition.

Announcer: "Well, wasn't that some great racing? Now while the bikes are moving off the track, the cars will be getting ready for their first run of the weekend. That will give the riders time to do a once over on the bikes while the cars show us what they have. Now is a good time to head for those concession booths and support your local vendors."

Bo was already heading for Luke's car when Luke called out, "Just hold up a second there I'm coming with you." Then he turned to Amber, "I'll catch you after this race unless you want to tag along?"

Amber shot the older Duke a shy smile. She knew just how many girls were here at the track today to do just what she was doing. She wasn't about to let someone else move in on this guy because she let him out of her sight. She replied, "I'm good at tagging along."

Normally Luke didn't like a clingy girl, but he was out of Hazzard and would only be in Placid until tomorrow so what was the harm if he wanted someone to cuddle with later. He took her hand and headed toward his car. Once there he insisted on going over it once more before he let Bo move it toward the track.

Bo had drawn the number eleven position, so he would be running in the sixth and final drag race of the morning. He was more than eager to get lined up and try his luck in a real race.

Luke was trying hard to keep Bo grounded, "Bo just hang back there are ten other cars that have to line up first, besides running the last race you can use it to your advantage. Watch the others, learn from their mistakes."

Bo knew Luke was right, but he couldn't help wanting to be in the car and moving. He just plain hated waiting.

Jeb came over to where his cousins were getting ready. "The suns up but the track is still cold. Even with us out there on it there's not much rubber on the track yet so it's not slick yet."

"Thanks, Jeb. Bo go ahead and get suited up. We'll meet you over at the track and get ya all buckled in." Luke said as Jeb, Amber and him started to walk toward where the cars were lining up.

Looking at the line up poster on the registration tent Luke saw several names he knew, some of which he could have done without seeing. In the first race Mike Faykus from a couple counties over would be lining up with none other than Ernie Ledbetter. "They will let just anybody enter these things won't they?" Luke said sarcastically.

Jeb replied a bit confused, "What?"

"Nothing. I just seen Ledbetter is here. I should have figured. Green's not here but I couldn't have a weekend without a thorn in my side." Luke said.

Jeb replied, "As long as it's in your side and not hurting those ribs again you should be good."

"Cute." Luke replied as he watched Ernie and Mike line up.

It was no competition at all, Mike Faykus had money and his car showed how much money was under the hood as he left Ledbetter sitting still.

Next was Enos Strate lining up with Matt Spies. They came off the line together but Enos managed to hold him off to win and move on up in the competition.

Dobro Doolin was the next to race a driver none of the Hazzard crew had ever heard of, Turk Folley. Folley had a car that looked good, but looks can be deceiving. Dobro's car may not have looked pretty, but pretty is as pretty does. Dobro managed to beat Folley by a couple of car lengths.

Luke's friend, Mark McCormick would be the next to try his luck against Jake Peters from Placid County.

Jeb said, "Jake's pretty good."

Luke replied, "Mark's Firebird isn't anything to sneeze at."

As it turned out, both cousins were right, but Mark had beat Jake by only a few feet.

Bo wished Brodie Smith luck as he went to line up against Adam Lilly from Chickasaw County. While this race was underway, Luke and Jeb was getting Bo all hooked up and buckled into the added safety restraints that had been installed for this weekend. Bo managed to look up just in time to see Brodie take the win.

Now it was Bo's turn to move Luke's car up to the line. Luke was busy trying to give Bo last minute advice, which Bo had tuned out a full thirty seconds ago. He watched as Joe Fox moved to the line in his freshly painted shinny blue Torino that was a couple years newer than the one that Bo was in. Bo had no idea what was under the other Torino's hood but knew both cars were likely pretty equal.

Both drivers indicated they were ready for the lights. Jeb was watching both his cousins, the thing that struck him funny was that Luke seemed more nervous right now than Bo did.

When the next to the last light lite up Joe Fox floored his car leaving Bo sitting still. Bo seen the last light turn green before he popped the clutch. This had all happened within a split second as Fox beat Bo to the finish line. Only as Bo Duke was announced as the winner did everyone figure out that Fox had jumped the light.

Luke smiled proudly, "Fox jumped the light and Bo actually didn't react to him pulling out before him. He waited on the light!"

Jeb replied, "Yeah, that was great. Let's head over and look at the posters to see who we will end up racing next. Then I'm gonna call and see when we can sneak out of here for a bit."

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Thanks for reading. Drop a line or three and tell me what you thought.


	75. Independence Day!

Chapter 75 - Independence Day!

Cooter hadn't got up early and headed for Placid County this morning like most of his friends had and like he was supposed to have done, but he'd had a very busy morning. He had gotten up early and packed a bag with a few changes of clothes. Then, he had gotten to the garage long before his father would be there to open. Cooter parked his Camero that he should be racing in a few hours outside the garage, unlocked the door to the office area and went into the dark office. After turning on the lights, Cooter went to the cash register and opened it. Under the empty change tray Cooter saw that his dad had left his pay envelope right where he needed it to be. He took the cash out of the envelope and put it in his wallet with the cash he'd made last night hauling a load of moonshine up to Tennessee for Boss Hogg. Cooter had right about four hundred dollars in his wallet as he headed to the work bay.

Out in the bay Cooter got his tool box off the work bench after checking that all his tools were in it. Then he picked up a couple of boxes of specialty tools that he'd bought over the past few years. Cooter took one more look around to make sure that he wasn't forgetting anything, cut off the lights, locked the garage up, stored the tools in his trunk, made sure his tank was full of gas and headed out of town just like anyone would expect him to do on a race day when the race was out of town.

As Cooter drove toward the County line he knew that he had no other choice than to do what he was doing. He had went over this time and time again in his mind since talking with Beverly on Tuesday, then when he took her out on Wednesday night they had planned to meet up this morning. That was where Cooter was heading right now, to meet Beverly out near the lake.

Cooter was first to arrive as he'd hoped and planned to be as he parked his car just off the road in the planned meeting spot.

Beverly barely saw Cooter's car as she approached place where she was supposed to meet him. She parked in the road as Cooter had told her to do.

Cooter went to the driver's door, "Morning, beautiful."

Beverly smiled at the greeting and replied, "Cooter, I've got something to tell you."

"It can wait, go get in my car. I'll just park this out of the way." Cooter said.

Beverly got out of her father's Dodge that her parents thought she was taking to her friends in Placid County for the night where they were supposed to go to the fairgrounds and watch the races.

Cooter parked the car off the road in a wide spot that wouldn't be seen from the road. He left the keys in the ingnition and locked the car up after getting Beverly's bag from the trunk. After putting the bag in his trunk, Cooter got in his car and turned to Beverly, "Ready?"

Beverly closed her eyes, took a deep breath and said, "Cooter we don't 'have to' do this..."

Cooter cut her sentence short, "Darlin' I know we don't have to, ... I want to."

"That's not what I meant. I was scared, I paniced..." Beverly said before again being cut off.

"And, for that, I'm sorry. But, there is nothing to worry about, I'll take care of everything." Cooter said trying to comfort her.

Beverly looked into Cooter's eyes and saw how much he cared for her. It made her smile as she continued, "I know you would, but you don't have to, ... Cooter, I'm not pregnant, ... I started Thursday."

Cooter had not expected to hear anything like this today. Before he could respond he thought about what he would say as he heard Beverly's words in his mind again. _"Cooter, I'm not pregnant, ... I started Thursday." _Cooter was sure that his heart has stopped and restarted several times since talking to Beverly in the same place Tuesday evening. Now as his heart again started to beat, he had a choice, ...

Beverly added, "We can go on to Placid as planned. You can run the race. I'll stay with Jenny. We can come home tomorrow like nothing ever happened."

Cooter heard Beverly, part of him was relieved, yet, ... somewhere deep down, ... part of him was disappointed. Very disappointed. Cooter took in a deep breath and began to speak, "Beverly you are right about all that and you may think I'm crazy, I've been accused of it many times, but hear me out." He paused, "Every since we talked Tuesday, ... well Ok, let me change that, ... every since I woke up on Wednesday, I have thought of nothing but being with you. I've worked extra hours, taken extra jobs and I've checked into a few things. There is a place in Tennessee that we can go, we can get married without your father's permission. I can get a job at this little garage there. I've got more tools in the trunk than they have there... Beverly, I love you. I don't care if you aren't pregnant. I still want to be with you." Cooter paused a long moment before swallowing the lump in his throat and continuing as he took her hand, "Beverly Hibbs I love you with all my heart, will you marry me? ... Today? We'll go right now, just like we planned."

Beverly had figured as soon as she told Cooter she wasn't pregnant that he'd have jumped for joy and ran the other way. She had not been prepared for the words of love he had just spoke to her. She was speechless for a long moment before saying very quietly, "You really mean that?"

Cooter wasn't sure where his mouth had gotten all those words, but replied, "Yeah, ... I really mean **all** that."

Beverly was trembling from the inside out as she tried to think rationally. There was no reason that they couldn't wait now that she knew that she wasn't pregnant. She'd be eighteen soon and then her father wouldn't have any say so at all. Then she remembered the night at the lake in Cooter's arms. Suddenly, thinking rationally had went out the window as she smiled at him and said quietly, "Let's go."

It was something Cooter had never imagined himself saying or doing, but if he'd pictured him ever proposing marriage to a girl he was sure that it would have been much different. But for now, those two words were all he needed, _"Let's go."_ he heard Beverly again in his mind. Cooter didn't need to be told twice as he fired up the powerful engine and headed as quickly as he dared toward the County line and beyond that the Tennessee border some six hours away.

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After finding out that the track was giving the winners a bit more time to go over their bikes and cars for the next round by letting the losers of each division race another round, the Dukes decided to head over to Tri-Counties jail for a short visit with John and Karen. Luke let Bo drive his car since he was being joined in the backseat by Amber. Jeb left his bike, well the one he was borrowing from Blake with him and road to the jail with his cousins.

On the way to the jail the boys explained to Amber a bit about why John and Karen were guests at the jail. Once they were at the jail, Amber waited in the car while the boys went to visit their family. After getting checked in they were told they could visit both John and Karen for twenty minutes each. The boys figured to save time and give Jeb some privacy with both Karen and John by having both called at he same time. Bo and Luke would visit with one for ten minutes while Jeb the other, then trade booths with Jeb.

The visitation booths were small rooms with a metal and glass wall between the inmate and the visitor. There was a small mesh area for sound to pass through but nothing else. A door separated the visitors for some privacy, while the inmates were separated by a cinder block wall with a locked steel door behind them.

Karen had been brought down first and put in the booth where Bo and Luke were waiting. Of course, Jeb did stick his head in and tell her he'd be over there to see her in a few minutes.

John was then locked in the booth beside his daughter, which was unknown to him at the time. Jeb was in the other side of the booth waiting to see his father.

After a very short, very awkward visit Karen and John were returned to their cells and the boys were back on their way to the race track.

Bo decided to break the silence as he drove, "What do you think about Sharon Jones being in there with Karen?" Karen had told Luke about his friend's girlfriend being there and on her way to being gone awhile.

Luke sighed a long sigh before replying, "I've been trying to tell him she ran around with the wrong bunch for awhile now. Hopefully, he'll find someone else while she is gone and forget all about her."

Bo nodded, 'yes', "Maybe." He replied as they stopped at the gate and showed they had already entered the events.

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Once they got parked the boys were off to the registration tent to see what they had missed since they had been gone. In the first race, Andrew Short had raced Jeff Ward from Chickasaw County that Jeb had previously beaten. Jeff Ward had won that race and would move on to race again.

In the second race, Bobby Moore had raced Jill Dobbs brother, Jamie Dobbs. Bo was glad to see that Jamie had won that race.

In race three, Jeremy Lusk who had been lucky to get to the finish line in his first race, was beaten by Mark Jones who had been beaten earlier by Jeb and Blake's friend Kevin Windham.

In the final bike race, James Stewart from Hatacapee had some how managed to loose to Greg Wilson who Blake had beaten earlier. Jeb knew he'd only ran a couple of races before this event, so his win took Jeb by surprise.

In the cars, Ernie Ledbetter had beaten out Matt Spies to move on. Luke swore under his breath when he seen that Ernie would still be lurking around.

In the second race, Turk Folly came out on top of Jake Peters from Placid County, who according to Jeb was pretty good. So that should indicate that Turk may have lost the first round but should be watched if Bo or Luke ever went up against him in the future.

Bo seen that in the last race Joe Fox who had jumped the light on him, had also lost to Adam Lilly of Chickasaw County.

The next round of events wouldn't start for some time now so the boys and Amber headed off toward the vendors for a light lunch, before the boys changed back into their racing suits for the afternoon's events.

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At the Duke Farm in Placid County, Daisy had been helping to get the wash done as well as other household chores that needed to be done. She had never figured that two small babies could dirty up so many diapers, clothes and linen.

Pauline sat down a platter of garden vegetables to go with the cold cuts and cheese that Daisy had gotten out with a pitcher of iced tea.

As they sat down for a bite of lunch while the twins napped, Daisy said, "Aunt Pauline I saw the paper yesterday about all the stuff at the fair grounds this weekend. I know I'm here to help you and all, but would you mind if I went over later this evening to watch the fireworks?"

Pauline suddenly felt really guilty. She knew that her niece would likely have been out at the fair grounds all day with the others if it weren't for her being home alone with the twins. She replied, "We're pretty much done here for the day. After lunch if you help me get Jeb's room set up for the boys you can go on out."

"No, I'll wait until we get the girls fed, bathed and down for the evening before I go." Daisy said, then added, "Sure I'd like to be there to see Bo race, but the big races aren't until tomorrow, so I'm good just seeing the fireworks."

"Ok, Dear, if you are sure." Pauline said.

Daisy replied, "I'm sure, really."

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For the first time in a long time Jesse Duke was home on the farm alone. The morning chores had been taken care of before the boys left this morning and most anything the boys could have done early already had been done. Jesse had checked the garden and brought in some green beans which he was now sitting on the porch with a glass of iced tea as he cleaned them. Before long he found that he was having a regular conversation with Maudlin who was beside the porch having a bit of lunch. "Sure is nice and quiet around here today ain't it girl? Yes, Ma'am, you and old Henrietta over there don't have to worry about any of those danged fool kids come sliding in here today and scaring you both. Nope they shouldn't be back until late tomorrow night. Even that blamed Cooter was going to enter his car in the race and he has trouble walking up right some days, so you all can just relax and have the run of the place." Jesse frowned, and then looked around to make sure no one was watching him, "The kids haven't been gone half a day yet and I'm sitting out here having a conversation with a blamed mule!"

Maudlin promptly brayed, 'Eeyore, eeyore.'

Jesse finished his tea and began picking up the beans, "I think I'll just head over to the Boar's Nest and have a bit of lunch before people think I've gone plumb loco."

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By early afternoon Cooter and Beverly had crossed into the small Tennessee County where more than a little Hazzard moonshine had been bought. Cooter had never paid the sleepy little place much attention until he'd made a run up there Friday night for Boss Hogg and while he was he'd managed to check into a few things.

Cooter pulled up and parked on Main Street at a parking meter. From the car he could see the house he'd been told about with the sign on the porch reading "Justice of the Peace". As Cooter cut the engine he saw another sign across the quite street that interested him, "Pawn Shop".

Beverly had felt butterflies in her stomach from time to time since she'd left her house this morning but since she and Cooter had crossed into Tennessee the butterflies now felt like bats. She could feel herself trembling as Cooter shut off the car.

Cooter turned in the seat and took Beverly's hand in his left as he put his right arm around her shoulders, "Are you sure about this?" Cooter asked as he also was having issues with butterflies of his own. He was sure he'd felt Beverly tremble. As Beverly looked into Cooter's eyes, suddenly his butterflies left and he was more sure of his plans today than he had been of anything in awhile.

Beverly looked into Cooter's eyes and said just above a whisper, "I'm excited... I'm nervous... I'm happy... I'm scared... But, more than anything, ... I love you."

"That's enough for me, the rest we can deal with together. Beverly, I love you and want you to be my wife. After we're married and after you turn eightteen there won't be anything your father or anyone else can do about it." Cooter said.

"I hope you are right. Daddy has 'friends' that like his money that can make things happen." Beverly said.

Cooter replied, "I've heard about your father. Trust me, it will be alright."

Beverly nodded 'yes', "Alright, so what do we do first?"

Cooter smiled back at her, "I think I want to head over to the pawn shop first."

Beverly replied, "Alright." Though she didn't have a clue why Cooter would want to go there. She was surprised to see that Cooter had taken them right to the jewerly counter of the small shop.

At the counter, Cooter asked the man to see the wedding bands. "Pick out what you like." he said to Beverly.

"Me?" she asked surprised.

"You are the one going to be wearing it after all." Cooter said.

Beverly replied without thinking about her reply, "You're not going to wear a wedding band?"

In all truth, Cooter had never thought about it one way or another, he had wanted to give his bride his ring.

The man behind the counter spoke up as he noticed the girl wasn't wearing an engagement ring, "I have a few really nice sets. Here let me show you."

Before he knew what happened Cooter found himself looking at and buying a ring set. As he handed the man the hundred dollar bill Cooter knew he had just spent about four times what he'd planned on when he walked in the door, but if it made Beverly happy then he'd just have to watch his spendings a bit closer than he planned. He watched as Beverly was happily looking at the small diamond on her left hand. Cooter couldn't explain how proud of her he was right now as they made their way across the street toward the Justice of the Peace's home and office.

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The loud speaker came to life, "I need all riders that won in the first motorcycle event this morning to get lined up for their next round."

Jeb took a drink of his lemonade and handed it off to Bo, "That's me. I got to go."

Bo and Luke both spoke together, "Good luck." "Be Careful."

Jeb threw up his hand in response as he was already heading toward his bike. Jeb would be running the first race against Charlie Sun. Jeb had met him through Blake and knew he was pretty good.

Charlie took off his hat showing his muddy brown hair as he stuffed his hat in his racing suit before putting on his helment.

Jeb had just pulled up to get set up.

Charlie knew the bike Jeb was on. It was Blake's. It clearly had more horses than his did, but the younger man was just learning to race. Charlie knew that this race was going to be pretty equal if the kid could keep that bike under him.

Jeb managed to be first off the line and did indeed keep the bike under him all the way to the finish line just a split second in front of Charlie Sun. This meant that Jeb would advance to Round Three and Charlie would move to the Loser's Bracket to run the winner of the last Losing Round. (Name will be in RED on chart on Live Journal. See profile page for link.)

In the next round, Matt Kinnison beat out Josh Grant to move on.

No one that knew Kevin Windham was surprised when he finished a good distance in front of Gary Jones who was just lucky to keep his bike on two wheels so far the whole day.

In the final race of this round Jeb's buddy, Blake Horton beat out Blair Morgan from over in Hatacapee County and would move on to race Matt Kinnison in the next round.

Once again the loud speaker crackled to life, "Well, ALRIGHT! It looks like our four winners will move on to race each other tomorrow. Now, I need the winners of the car races this morning to line up for us one more time."

In the first race Enos Strate would be lining up against Mike Faykus. With the money that Faykus's family had sunk into the car it was no wonder that he left Enos sitting still and moving to the Loser's Bracket.

In the second race, Mark McCormick was able to hold off Dobro Doolin for the win.

Bo looked over to his right as he tightened the strap on his helmet. Beside him was his childhood friend, Brodie Smith. Bo knew deep down that Luke's car had more horsepower than Brodie's ride. Part of him would have at least liked for his friend to have a fighting chance, but Bo was out to win and make a name for him and / or his cousin. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter with determination as the lights signaled 'go'. When the dust had cleared, Bo was the winner by a half track, leaving Brodie to move to the Loser's Bracket.

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As the racing action continued in Placid County, Cooter knocked on the door of the Justice of the Peace. When the door opened he was greeted by an older gentleman that could have passed for Burl Ive's twin.

The older man asked, "Can I help you?"

Cooter advised, "We'd like to be married, today."

The older man sized up the young man and the girl that appeared to be a bit younger. "Come on in." Once the couple was inside his office the older man asked, "Do you have proper identification?"

Cooter advised, "We both have our drivers license and birth certificates. I was told that is all that we would need and that we could get the license from you since the courthouse is closed on Saturdays."

The older man gave him a small smile to try to calm the young man down a bit, "Yes, that is correct, you've done your homework." He took the birth certificates and licenses from Cooter. As he studied them carefully, he said, "I take it that there will be no family joining you for the ceremony?"

Cooter merely replied, "No."

"Is there a **reason** for being in such a hurry to get married today? Are you two running away or what?" The Justice asked.

Cooter thought quickly remembering the date, "No, Sir. Actually, we plan to move here. We couldn't think of a better day to start a new life together and want to stand on our own two feet."

"Well I guess that July 4th is as good a day as any to be independent. The identification is in order, I'll just fill out the license and get the Mrs. as a witness and we'll be ready." The older man said as he opened his desk for the license, "There is an additional fee for the license and I'll only be able to give you an unofficial copy of the marriage license. I'll file the official one at the courthouse on Monday, then you can get an official copy with a seal on it to be able to get the young lady's name changed and such."

Beverly spoke up a bit confused, "So, we won't be legally married until Monday?"

Cooter listened carefully, this was something he really wanted to know, especially having an underage girl with him across more than one state line.

The older man tried to hide his amusement. "Oh, no you'll be legally married in every sense of the word, it's just you won't have an official document until Monday."

Both Beverly and Cooter breathed a bit easier as they watched the Justice fill out the paperwork.

As the Justice wrote he mentioned, "We tend to get a lot of folks from other parts getting married here. I reckon maybe it has to do with the age requirements being just a lower here."

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Live Journal will be updated soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	76. More Racing and Fireworks!

I hope you all had a good holiday season! My family was able to share what may be our last with a sick family member over Christmas and for New Years I got a new daughter-in-law and three beautiful grandchildren! My oldest got married on New Years Eve! At least even he should be able to remember his anniversary!

Thanks for continuing to read and review.

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Chapter 76

After Bo's win on the drag strip, the bikes started lining up on the round track for a heat race that would determine the starting line up for tomorrow's feature race. Today's starting poitions had already been drawn earlier at the drivers meeting.

No sooner than he'd seen Bo cross the line ahead of Brodie, Jeb exclaimed, "Alright! Luke tell Bo he did a good job will ya? I got to get my bike and head over to the other track.

The loud speaker came to life with a high pitched squeal causing some of the crowd to cover their ears and groan complaints. Then the announcer said, "Alright, as you can see the bikes and cars are starting to move over to the round track, ... ah in this case it's more of an oval. Anyway, we've seen what these guys can do on a straight away, so what do you say we see how they handle it with a left turn at the end."

The crowd sent out excited cheers.

Luke told Amber with excitement dripping from his voice, "Let's go see Bo and see if the car needs any adjustments then we can head over and watch Jeb!"

That was 'just' what Amber wanted to hear. NOT. But, she had been to enough such events to know if she wanted a chance for any fun later she'd have to be content to follow along or risk loosing this guy to some other girl. She looked at Luke's broad shoulders then her eyes fell to his jeans for a split second before she replied, "Sure."

When Luke had his car and cousin in sight something signaled trouble as he picked up his pace, "That was great Bo! What's wrong?" He said cutting right to the chase.

Bo wrinkled his brows and wondered how Luke knew him so well, "Well, I won, but I also blew the brakes."

"Brakes? Bo you were running a **drag** race you don't use a brake in a drag race." Luke said.

Bo glared at his older cousin, "Then how did you propose I stopped before wiping out that there big ol' barn?"

Luke only then looked up to see the large barn used for the live stock at the fair. He frowned when he saw how close the end of the race way was to the old barn before squatting down to look under his car while clenching his jaw against the pain from his ribs. Luke saw the problem as soon as he was eye level of the brakes. "Bo get the jack out and pray that in that box in the back Cooter put us a wheel cyclinder in there."

Bo popped the hood and dug around in the box of spare parts Cooter thought they should take with them, "Luke you ain't gonna believe this, but Cooter is a genius!" He took the box and handed it to Amber, "Give this to Luke while I get the jack."

Amber looked strangely at the box that Bo was handing her before taking it. When she agreed to come give out the fliers today she had planned on finding a guy to spend the day, possibly the weekend with. What she did not figure on was spending the day with a guy who was working on a car.

By that time Luke had some how managed to get into a sitting position by the wheel where the cylinder was blown and waited for Bo to get the tire off. Luke knew better than to fight with the lugs on his car since they had been put on at the garage with the air tools. He opened the tool box looking for the tools needed to do the job. When he went to try to turn the bleeder screw it was stuck. Luke took out a small hammer and tapped it gently. When it still didn't release he took a cheater bar and put over the end of the socket to give him more leverage without having to use as much bodily force as he normally would. The rest of the job went off easily, but Luke was beginning to feel the effects of leaning and reaching over as he finished bleeding the brakes.

Bo got out of the car where he had been pumping the brakes so that Luke could bleed them and could tell Luke was hurting. "You know I could have done that."

Luke merely nodded. Yes he knew Bo could have managed the simple repair, but opted to do it himself since being able to stop a vehicle was as important as one that ran good. After he managed to get up with Bo's help Luke went back to the trunk of the car, looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to him as he took out the mason jar for a healthy couple of drinks before tucking it back in his bag.

Bo said, "Now we can go see how Jeb is making out in the race.

As Luke and Amber started off ahead of Bo he noticed that Luke had moved Amber's arm from around his ribs to his waist. Bo knew he should have insisted on changing that wheel cylinder.

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After a very simple ceremony, with the decorative unofficial marriage license tucked in her purse, Beverly and Cooter Davenport were off to start their new life as husband and wife. Before heading to the motel the Justice told them about, Cooter made a quick stop at the local garage. Inside he saw the man he had talked to last night at the road house where he'd delivered Boss's shine to.

Wayne, the owner, addressed the customer before actually looking up from invoices, "Can I help you?"

Cooter replied, "Well, I was hoping to be able to help you."

The reply took Wayne a bit by surprise until he saw the young man he'd talked to last night at the bar. "Well, I see you were serious last night. I've had a lot of young men talk to me about a job and never show up."

"Oh yes Sir, I was very serious last night. I told you I would be here today and here I am. I hope I'm not to late and that you are still needing a hand." Cooter said.

Wayne was an older man about Cooter's father age. He studied the young man before him then asked, "You said you had your own tools and you know your way around under a hood of a car?"

"Yes Sir, I brought all my tools with me and I've been under cars or their hoods since I could crawl." Cooter said.

Before Wayne could reply a car pulled in driven by a young lady about Cooter's age.

Cooter had already wrinkled his face in pain as he heard the cars engine that had obviously been ran far too long with the water pump down. He whistled low, "Wonder how long she's driven that with that water pump down?"

The older man looked from the car to the young man before him, "When can you start?"

"When do you want me here?" Cooter asked.

"How about Monday morning, seven sharp." The man said.

Cooter replied, "I'll be waiting on you when you get here."

"I'll start you out at a hundred and fifty a week, plus ten percent of each car you work on. If you are as good as you told me last night we'll talk again next Saturday about raising that a might. I pay every two weeks. Your first payday will be on the eighteenth." Wayne smiled and shook the young man's hand. There was something about him that Wayne liked.

At the car Cooter smiled at his new wife, "I start Monday."

Beverly let out a breath she had been holding since Cooter had told her about the job he had lined up. She knew things would be better for them if he was working when her family found out about their marriage.

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Back at the race track the bikes were just going into the final lap when Bo, Luke and Amber arrived at the oval track.

Kevin Windham was a nose ahead of Blake Horton who was just a couple feet in front of Jeb. In fourth place, Charlie Sun was a half a lap away. With all three riders giving their all as they rounded turn four in to the final straight stretch, Kevin Winham the eldest rider there had indeed showed the young whipper snappers how it was done as he crossed the line just before Blake who was followed by Jeb and Charlie.

Luke exclaimed, "Alright Jeb!"

Bo frowned, "Alright Jeb? He finished third!?"

"They pay the top three in all races this weekend Bo." Luke explained.

"Really? Well, then OK!" Bo said.

When Jeb was greeted by his cousins he was fussing and fuming. "Luke I need some tools. This thing runs better than this. I've got a plug fouled or something."

"Sure thing, We'll get the tools out of my car before Bo sets up for his race." Luke said.

Amber seen what was going to happen even before it did. She knew Luke was going to end up helping work on his cousin's bike while she stood around twiddling her thumbs.

In the last race of the day, Bo managed to come in just ahead of Mark McCormick who was about a half lap ahead of Enos Straight who was followed closely by Turk Folley.

With the car and bike repaired and the racing action over for the day Luke and Amber had just enough time to grab a bite to eat before the fireworks began. Instead of watching the fireworks with the crowd, Luke suggested they slip off to a much more private place to watch them, of course ol' Luke was planning to made a few fire works of his own.

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Later that night after Daisy had showed up for the fireworks the four cousins bid their racing friends and Luke's new friend good night and headed toward Jeb's house. Daisy had told them that Jeb's room had been set up for the three of them before she left.

Pulling up to the dark farm house where only the kitchen and back porch light was on, all four of the cousins knew that Pauline Duke and the twins were already in bed for the night.

Luke had been sipping on his pain medication in the form of Jesse's shine since he'd worked on his car. Now he was feeling pretty good except for the dull pain he was feeling in his ribs which could be sharp when he breathed. He knew between the brake job and his time with Amber which was much tamer that his last night with Ruby that he had surely over done himself.

Once in the house each set to getting ready for the night while being as quiet as possible. Jeb knew that Luke was hurting and gave him the bed opting to take one of the roll a way cots across from Bo in the other cot. With the early July heat, Luke decided to take the folded extra blanket on his bed and use it with his pillow to be able to sit up some in the bed instead of laying flat. He'd managed to put his bag with his liquid pain relief near the bed. He had a feeling he'd be sipping it on and off the rest of the night.

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NOTE: If you have already read this chapter, you'll notice that I have taken down the last paragraph. It won't change, just will fit better over all in the next chapter. Sorry if this confusses anyone. Thanks for reading! Dixie


	77. On the Straight and Narrow!

Thanks for coming back! This chapter is a combined effort and mentions lots of characters I didn't create. Most of the racers in the bike races were actually mentioned in other stories by JadedPhoenixBurning. In an attempt to keep most things consistant I have used the same names and have consulted her about who she thought would win when going up against varies racers. The sections with Kira and Ben, who are also her characters, were largelly written by JadedPhoenixBurning and only small tweaks were made or lines added to make fit into my story where it was needed. This is a look at Kira and Jeb between her stories "A Life of Hazards" and "My Imaginary Sister". Neither has to be read in order to read this one, but if you have read them you will recognize these characters. If you have not read them and like this glimpse of these characters please move on to her stories and let her know I pointed you her way! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 77

Up in Tennessee, Cooter pulled his Camero up to the office of a local motel. In the office he found that renting the room by the month would be a hundred and fifty dollars but paying by the night would have been well over two hundred.

After paying the Justice of the Peace, Cooter's four hundred dollars had now went to two hundred seventy-five dollars. Cooter knew he would be starting work on Monday but payday would still be a way off so he paid the hundred and fifty dollars to make sure that they had a roof over their head at least for the next month. He figured by that time they may be able to find a small house or a room at a boarding house to rent.

With the key to their room in hand and a hundred and twenty-five dollars in his wallet, Cooter pulled down to the end of a row of rooms. Outside room fifteen he parked and cut the engine. "Ready?"

Beverly had been trying to calm her nerves since leaving the Justice of the Peace's office, so far she was having no luck. She timidly replied with a shy smile, "Yes."

Handing her the key, Cooter said, "You go unlock the door and wait right there. I'll get your bag." After getting Beverly's bag, he'd worry about his later, Cooter met her at the door. He picked her up and carried her across the threshold of the motel room. Without letting her down, Cooter shut and locked the door, then pulled the drapes as he kissed his wife gently.

Curled up together several hours later Cooter was woke up to the sound of a his wife's stomach making a very unladylike sound as it loudly growled.

"I knew I forgot something." Cooter mumbled to himself.

"What?" Beverly asked sleepily.

"I knew I forgot something." He untangled himself from his wife and looked outside to see it just getting dusk, "We need to get dressed and find someplace to eat before everything closes."

Beverly would have liked to have stayed right where she was, but in truth it had been awhile since breakfast and it would be longer until breakfast in the morning. Pulling her long blond hair back and grabbing a pony tail holder, "Give me ten minutes."

Cooter nodded as he grabbed his jeans.

At the diner on Main Street Cooter and Beverly took an open booth at the rather crowded dinner.

An older lady came over with menus, "Are you all in town for the fireworks?"

"Fireworks?" Cooter replied.

"Yes, they always let them off just after dark on the Fourth. You can see them real good from the little park across the street, that's why we are so crowded." The waitress replied.

Cooter said, "We actually didn't know anything about them, but thanks. Can you give us a minute? We're not from around here."

"Sure thing Honey." She replied as she went to refill the others coffee cups.

As the waitress walked away, Cooter scanned the menu. There was nothing really expensive on it so he said, "Tonight it's whatever you want, ... tomorrow we got to start going cheap at least until I get paid." Cooter figured to set the example by ordering a medium priced steak dinner. "I think I'll have the eight ounce porterhouse and baked potato."

Beverly ordered a smaller slightly less priced steak with a salad. She had come from a house where money had not been an object, but she took her husband's subtle hint that they needed to conserve what money they had with them until he got paid.

After their wedding night dinner, the young newlyweds made it across the street in time to find a place to watch the fireworks.

Once the fireworks were over and they were headed back to the motel Cooter said, "Wasn't it nice that they went to all the trouble of having fireworks for us on our wedding night?"

Beverly couldn't help but to laugh as she tried not to blush at her husband's comment.

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Even with the Tri-Counties jail being a way out of town the loud booms could still be heard from the events at the fairgrounds. This made several of the younger prisoners remember just what they were missing tonight as several of them had previously made plans to be there.

Dean kicked himself as he heard the sounds from the fireworks and remembered that today was the Fourth of July. He also remembered his plans to have raced there this weekend. He swore out loud.

Danny asked, "What's wrong?

"Nothing, just thinking of the money I could have maybe won today out at the fair grounds." Dean stated.

From his bunk Ralph heard their conversation, "I wouldn't even have had to have won any money, I'd just been happy to have been there and ran Duke's car right in the ground."

John had been sitting at the table and up until now had kept his opinion to himself, but he wasn't the type to sit back and listen to someone run his kin's name in the dirt. He was sure that his oldest nephew would not have wanted him to say that he had not be able to race due to the injuries he'd gotten from Green, himself. "Well, from what I hear, Luke is pretty good with that car of his, so I just don't think that it would have been that easy." John remembered when Jeb, Bo and Luke visited him and Karen earlier that day they had said that it was actually Bo who would be racing this weekend. That seemed like a mute point for now so John kept that information to himself.

Dean agreed, "I've seen him race Green. He's more than just good and that Ford is fast."

It seemed that he was out numbered even in this bunch. Green grumbled to himself. Then said before he turned over, "Yeah, well, we'll just have to see about that sometime."

Much later that night, John strained the now ready hooch and everyone in the cell, except Ralph, managed to have a bit of Fourth of July cheer and a good nights sleep.

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Upstairs in the female cell the girls too were thinking of all the fun they had missed this weekend.

Sharon wondered if Mark had come over to Placid to race and if so how he'd done. She also wondered just who he'd be spending his weekend with since it surely wasn't going to be her.

Karen still was wondering about Danny. _'Would he really have tried to get me drunk just to take advantage of me? And what if, ...' _no she didn't want to think about what 'if' right now. She knew it was still to early to know if she could be pregnant. As Karen layed on the hard steel bunk for the second night in jail, because she had let herself be talked into a lot of things she had known not to do, she tried to figure out when she should start her period. By her calculations she should know something around July eleventh, today was only the fourth, well now technically it was the fifth.

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The next morning found Pauline and Daisy tending the twins while starting breakfast for the group. Just as the boys entered the kitchen they heard Daisy say, "I've got breakfast Aunt Pauline. There is no need you pushing yourself in your condition."

Pauline flushed beet red as she asked, "And what condition is that, Dear?"

All three guys, but most of all Jeb, wished they could crawl in the woodwork and hide about now.

Daisy looked from her aunt to her male cousins for help, getting none she finally answered, "With your being pregnant again, Aunt Pauline. It's alright, we all already know."

Pauline sized up her niece, then her own son, and finally her two nephews. "Pregnant? What gives any of you the idea that I'm pregnant?"

Daisy now wanted to slink out of the room but knew not answering her aunt would mean trouble, "Well, Karen told us awhile back that you were."

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Even with John partaking of some of the hooch he had made for the holiday, he was up bright and early even though he'd went to bed far later than was his normal. They had all wanted to make sure that Green was asleep before they got the stuff out because they all knew that he would likely give all them away. When John heard the coffee cart he once again got up and made his bunk before heading for the coffee.

This morning he decided to give the younger guys an extra few minutes as he sat alone drinking his coffee. He'd wait at least until breakfast was brought around to wake the others that usually got up this early. John couldn't help but wonder how Bo had made out at the races yesterday and if he moved on to today's competition. None of the three boys had let on to John at all about the fact that his son was also racing this weekend but not in a car. John thought back to his days of racing and running moonshine on a regular basis and wondered how long it would take for Jeb to get interested in cars. Sure he'd helped John on the vehicles at the farm, but he'd shown no interest at all in wanting his own car or truck, which was down right unnatural for any Duke teen. John's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the breakfast cart entering the cell block.

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"Karen did, did she?" Pauline answered.

The four teens in Pauline's kitchen this morning were very glad that their name was not Karen Duke. The three males were even gladder that they would soon be leaving for the track, but couldn't help but to feel a bit sorry for Daisy who would be spending the day with an obviously agitated Pauline Duke.

"Well, I'd sure like to know where she is getting her information. I certainly am NOT pregnant!" Pauline huffed. "Now you just move yourself right out of my way and let me get breakfast started."

Daisy didn't have to be asked to move out of her aunt's way more than once as the four teens watched Pauline Duke set about making breakfast like she was on a mission.

Pauline would have loved to have been able to get her hands on her oldest child right about now. It was bad enough that everyone knew of her pregnancy with the twins only months ago and now it seemed that half her family now thought she was pregnant again. Since she could not rant at her daughter, Pauline didn't want to rant at the other kids, so she managed to rant and fume under her breath the entire time that she was getting breakfast ready.

Once breakfast was over, the boys were more than ready to head out to the track. Bo asked, "So Daisy are you going to come out and watch me win today?"

Luke gave him a look, "Don't get so confident there cousin."

Looking from her cousins to her aunt, Daisy replied, "I don't know fellas, I came here to help Aunt Pauline."

"Don't be silly. I've taken care of the girls alone often. I do appreciate the help and not having to do everything for them and the house all alone for the entire time that Karen and John are away, but they are my children and I'll be fine alone with them. You go ahead and have a good time Daisy." Pauline replied.

Daisy replied, "Thanks Aunt Pauline, but the finals don't even get started until this afternoon, I'll come out after lunch and catch up to you all then."

Jeb was wanting to go over 'his' bike before the races started and so with that settled he said, "Ok, great see ya then. Bo we better be going." Jeb said hoping Bo would follow his lead since Jeb needed to be there a bit earlier than Bo did.

"Uumm, yeah, right. Luke we do need to get a move on." Bo said.

"Bo Duke in a hurry this early in the morning. Aunt Pauline you might want to check him for a fever." Luke said as the three hurried out the door.

Daisy and Pauline laughed as the three headed for Luke's car and was gone in a cloud of dust.

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Once at the track, off to the side lines, Jebb caught the sight of a girl that he'd not seen around the area before. Being a Duke, he couldn't just walk by her without at least giving her a smile. Usually that was all it took to bring a girl over to talk. That wasn't the case today. The girl wearing a ball cap just turned and walked away; leaving him to check his bike out instead of flirting liked he'd hoped he could be doing right now.

"Ouch," Luke chuckled as he walked up to his cousin after seeing him getting the brush off. "Guess you ain't her type."

Jeb shrugged, she was pretty enough and he'd like to talk to her but right now he had a race to win. "I reckon not." Jeb then tried to change the subject fast so his cousin wouldn't rub in the fact that he'd gotten shot down without a single word being said, "I still can't believe you are letting Bo drive your car this weekend. You may be creating a monster."

Luke looked to where Bo was eating up attention from a group of young girls who likely didn't have a clue what that third petal on the far left was even for, much less anything about racing. Then, he thought back to the pocket full of phone numbers Bo had in his pocket last night.

Jeb seen the look on Luke's face as he watched Bo. "So where's what's her name?"

Luke replied with a shrug, "Amber. It's still early yet, she said she'd be here."

The announcer came over the loud speaker for the bikes to line up at the drag strip.

Jeb finished getting his racing suit on and moved his bike to the starting line. As he put on his helmet he saw Matt Kinnison lining up right across from him. He'd heard several of the guys talking and knew the other racer wasn't at all popular with any of his racing friends. Jeb knew he had to be on his toes and fully concentrate on the race at hand.

Matt glanced over to the new comer, he'd likely gotten this far by pure luck. _'This is going to be a walk in the park.' _Matt thought as he put his helmet on.

Both riders signaled they were ready, when the light turned green Jeb popped his clutch and leapt forward.

Matt waited for the light to turn green, popped the clutch and nothing! It took only a split second for Matt to realize two things: Jeb was speeding forward, he was sitting still. He tried the clutch again and this time the bike began to move forward, but Matt knew there was no way to catch Duke now. By the time he got to the end of the track all he could think about was that someone had messed with his bike.

Jeb wasn't sure what had happened to Matt, but he knew he was more than a half a track ahead of Matt when he crossed the finish line.

At the starting line Kevin Windham and Blake Horton were getting set up to run their race. Of the two, Kevin was older and far more experienced. Blake Horton was good, no two ways about it, but he was also on a new bike with a lot of horsepower.

Kevin said to his younger friend, "You just make real sure you keep that monster machine over there in your lane."

Blake nodded, "I plan to do just that Buddy. Just remember in a straight out run experience isn't always the key." He said as he patted his new bike for good measure.

"That may be, but I promise you'll know I'm in the race." Kevin said as he put his face shield down.

Blake closed his face shield and prepared to race. The light turned green and he saw Kevin beat him off the line and pull away. Blake up shifted and began to close the distance between the two bikes.

Kevin got Blake off the line and pulled ahead, but he knew the race was far from being over as he saw Blake coming up fast. He was giving his and his bikes all but Blake's new machine just had far more power than Kevin's older bike.

Jeb was still at the end of the track waiting to see who he'd race in the next round. When he seen it was his good friend Blake he was both happy that his buddy won and concerned to have to race him in the next heat later in the day. Jeb went over to congratulate Blake. He had no more than shook his hand before being grabbed by the back of his racing suit. Jeb felt his feet leave the ground just before he hit the temporary wall at the side of the track.

Matt was now in his face. "I don't know HOW or WHEN, DUKE but you screwed with my bike!" Matt had already drawn back and was in full swing.

Jeb didn't have time to process what was going on around him. The next thing he knew, he felt pain in his cheek where Matt had sucker punched him. As Matt reared back to prepare to hit him again, Jeb just reacted. He blocked Matt's next punch and backed him up against the wall as his own right was connecting with a face before he even registered just who had grabbed him.

As Jeb began to lay into Matt instinctively, he felt himself being pulled backwards. Jeb caught sight of more than one white set of coveralls worn by the race officials that were between him and the person who had grabbed him and started this entire mess.

Everything seemed to happen far too quickly, the next thing Jeb knew there was a race official in his face talking about fines and disqualification.

From where Kira and Ben were seated in the stands, Kira had been watching the races. Well, alright she may have started out watching the bikes. She found their speed intrigued her as well as the crowd cheering the riders on. She could tell by the crowd that some were more well known or liked that some of the others. As she watched the last race for the bikes for the morning, she couldn't help but notice two of the racers from the previous race going at it just before the race officials got there to break them up. Once the racers were separated each was taken opposite directions for a one on one talk with a racing official. Kira couldn't help but wonder if she'd see either or both them in any later races today.

Bo was in putting on his racing suit to be ready to race as he watched Mike Faykus lining up against Mark McCormick. Bo knew that Mike Faykus's family had sunk a bundle in his car. Mark was known to be at the lake most every weekend with Luke and the others racing in races of this type so he wasn't new to racing, but Faykus always had a top notched car and was used to official races.

As the light turned green Mark left the line a split second ahead of Faykus. Half way down the track Mark was only inches away from Faykus, but that was as close as he'd be as Mike Faykus pulled off and left the Firebird.

Bo was already in the car as the announcer had declared Faykus the winner. Luke said, "Faykus. They said Faykus won." Luke was friends with Mark so he had been pulling for him. He had seen Mark race far more races than he had Faykus. Luke wished Bo would be going up against McCormick instead of Faykus, because then he could have given him some tips about the McCormick's racing skills, but with it being Faykus, Bo would just have to do his best.

Just as Bo was ready to line up, Jeb walked up to where Luke was making sure that Bo was buckled up. "Good luck Bo." Jeb said still wearing his helmet from where he'd brought his bike back up from the finish line end of the track.

Luke frowned seeing Jeb still wearing the helmet, "Ain't it kind of hot to wear that thing around when your not riding?"

Jeb let out a sigh. He knew he could only hide what had happened for so long as he took off his helmet.

Seeing the start of a right good shiner, and having been in enough fights since he could walk to know the signs, Luke simply asked. "Who was it? And what happened?"

That got Bo's attention as he looked a bit closer at his slightly younger cousin.

Jeb like Bo and Luke came from a house where fighting was against the rules and it didn't matter why, so he suddenly found his toes as he began to say what he'd rehearsed ever since he left the racing official's side. "I was just shaking Blake's hand when the next thing I knew, ..."

Luke stopped him, "Jeb, I'm not Uncle Jesse or Uncle John. Tell me what happened."

Feeling a bit more at ease, Jeb said, "Kinnison. He must have had trouble with his bike in that last race. He decided I had something to do with it."

Bo jumped in, "Who won?"

"The race officials." Jeb said frankly and before he could explain further the announcement was made for Bo and Faykus to line up.

Faykus and Bo lined up and signaled they were ready.

Luke knew that Faykus had more racing experience, though Bo was a natural driver. As the light turned green both left the line together. Bo was holding his own at the half way point. Then Faykus must have been tired of the game as he pulled away from Bo like he was sitting still.

Bo would move to the Loser's bracket and be back to race a bit later, for now they would take a brake to go over their cars while the bikes raced at the round track.

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Thanks again for reading, let us know how we did!


	78. Sunday's Racin' Action!

Chapter 78

Matt Kinnison had earned the fifth starting position, but that didn't matter much to Kinnison. He planned to lay real low in this race and see just what some of the others had. He was interested in what competition he had for the Motor-Cross race later today.

The sixteen bikes would be lining up in four rows of four with Kevin Windham, Blake Horton, Jeb Duke and Charlies Sun on the front row. Matt Kinnison would be starting right behind Kevin on the inside of the track.

Blake Horton wanted to win any and all the events this weekend, but he didn't have a problem if Duke placed in the events so he could pay him the money for the bike he was currently riding. Havin' taken on the roll of Jeb's mentor, Blake said before putting his helmet on, "Kinnison is right behind us. Watch you a-."

After the run in he'd had earlier with Kinnison, Jeb could live with that advice. "Thanks, I plan on it."

Once the race was underway, Kinnison dropped back a good distance, while Jeb had found a place to settle into in fourth place. In the back of the pack several of the new inexperienced riders had gotten tangled up with each other, while others found they just couldn't hold their bikes in the muddy turns. As the field thinned itself out, Kinnison had spotted out the riders to watch and had moved back up to watch them. Duke was one of the riders he was watching closely. The kid was good, his bike was quick, but the more Kinnison watched him the more his inexperience showed. As far as Kinnison was concerned, Duke was making rookie mistakes, the main one was the kid was too eager to get to the front of the pack. If Duke took the curves in the next event like he was taking them now, Kinnison knew exactly how to get around him. Kinnison smiled to himself as he now knew how to take Duke out of the Motor-cross event, but first he had to make up some places in this race.

As the bikes entered the final lap of this event, Matt Kinnison was trying his best to get past Charlie Sun. Charlie may not have the horses to get past the three racers ahead of him, but there was one thing the man knew he could do. He could keep Kinnison from passing him. So being content with fourth place, Charlie set out to keep Kinnison behind him.

Blake Horton was out in front by a good distance. The real battle was right now for second place. Jeb Duke who was fairly new to the racing scene was doing battle with the old timer, Kevin Windham. Kevin knew that Duke had potential, but he had a lot to learn.

Jeb had hung in with Kevin for sometime but he was not content to just take third and be done with it. Jeb had watched Kevin and looked for an opening. He knew he'd only have one chance to pull it off because it was a move that Kevin wouldn't expect him to try. Jeb had been trying to get around Kevin on the inside of the track for several laps and he just didn't have the power.

In the first turn of the last lap Jeb let Kevin take the position in front of him dropping back to third place. Coming out of turn two, Jeb gave his bike all he had and as they entered turn three Kevin expected Jeb to go low on the track and try again to get around him on the inside. Jeb gave the bike his all and at the very last second swung out to the right and let the bike fly.

Kevin didn't even have time to think when he saw the rider pop out on his right not his left. Jeb already had his bike wound up and had the momentum to get around Kevin. Try as he may, time and the end of the race was against Kevin and in Jeb's favor as Jeb finished the race inches ahead of Kevin.

As Jeb pulled up to a stop and was taking off his helmet, Kevin road up beside him. He raised his face shield and pointed back to the track, "That took guts. I got to hand it to ya kid, you've got balls." Kevin held up his hand.

Jeb returned the action as he held up his gloved hand and gave the older man a 'high-five'.

Kevin cautioned, "Just remember, the next time I'll be watching for you to pull that crap and it won't work!"

Jeb replied with a wide grin, "You got it!" Second place wasn't a win, but coming in second to Blake Horton and his new bike wasn't a bad thing at all! Jeb noted that Matt Kinnison came in fifth just behind Charlie Sun.

In the stands Kira had been a bit surprised to see both riders that had been at odds earlier.

Seeing that Kira seemed to be pleased with the outcome of the race, Ben said, "He's pretty good isn't he?"

Kira shrugged her shoulders, unaware that Ben had seen her watching a couple of racers more closely than others, "Who?"

"The one that just out smarted his way into second place." Ben said.

Kira said indifferently, "If he was good, he would have won, not come in second."

While Ben noted Kira's indifference, he also saw something he saw in a lot of his clients, her body language was off, not much but just enough to give her away. Ben hide his amusement as he agreed, "I guess you are right about that."

From out of no where Daisy was at Jeb's side. She gave him a hug and a big kiss on his cheek, "Cousin, that was some ridin'!" She said as she hugged him tightly again.

Ben grimaced at the sight of the lovely brunette at the blond racers side just before Kira asked, "Think we have time to get a cold drink before the cars line up?"

Ben couldn't help shacking his head at young 'love'. One minute he was sure Kira had been paying attention to one of two racers, now she was more concerned with refreshments. "We should have plenty of time." He replied.

Every since Bo had lost to Faykus, Luke had been going over everything he knew to go over to give his car just a little more power. He had even opted not to watch Jeb race. As he reached for the plug wire on the last spark plug he felt a pain shoot through his side. It felt as if someone had inserted an ice pick right between his ribs on his left side. He dropped the ratchet from his right hand and grabbed his left side protectively.

Bo had been standing beside Luke, but watching the race, "Luke! Did you see that?" As Bo turned around he seen Luke clutch his left side. Now he was swearing obscenities loud between gasps. "Luke! Are you alright?" Suddenly he seen how stupid that question was, "What's wrong Luke?"

Still holding his left side, Luke managed to get out from under the hood, "Just, ... check the back, ... plug. Alright?" He managed to get out as he leaned against the side of his beloved Ford and tried not to pass out. He'd over did it. He knew that. No sooner had he managed to get his breathing barely under control and his eyes open, Luke saw Amber walking up the hillside away from the track with a guy about his age. They were sharing an ice cream cone and appeared to be heading somewhere a bit more private. Luke remembered his time with her last night, it had been fun, but was nothing special, at least on his part. Right now he was more concerned with just breathing.

Bo had stretched into the engine compartment with ease and pulled the spark plug that Luke had indicated. "Luke, this plug is fine." He held it up for Luke to see for himself.

Luke nodded in agreement, "Good, ... put it, ... back." He managed to gasp. For what was not the first or the last time this weekend, Luke wished that Cooter would show up.

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Up in Tennessee, Cooter's head was swimming as he tried to get his breath back. He knew that it was likely about noon and he nor Beverly had been asleep since they returned back to their room after the fireworks last night. He thought for a brief second about his friends at the race track, who were likely wondering where he was and why he had not shown up. Beverly again moved closer to him in a more than suggestive manner, Cooter let all thoughts of his friends, family and racing leave his mind as he turned his attention back to his wife.

01~~~~~~~~~~~01

Bo did as Luke said, putting the spark plug back into place, then he turned his attention back to his older cousin, "Luke, ... the plug is back in, ... now what's wrong with you?"

"Just over, ... did it, ... a might." Luke grimaced, "That's all."

Bo studied Luke up and down, before asking, "Are you sure that's all? You are alright, aren't you?" At the moment Bo wasn't sure. Luke was pale, had been gasping for air as he tried to talk, and Luke appeared to be leaning against his car to keep from falling down.

Luke caught his breath and tried to answer in a more reassured tone, "Yeah. I'm fine." Though, at the moment, Luke felt anything BUT fine. They heard the announcement for the cars to line up in their previously drawn positions. "Faykus is the one to beat Bo. He's starting behind you. Just stay in front of him."

Bo nodded, as he thought, _'Easier said than done.'_ But replied, "I'll do my best."

On the round track the stock cars began lining up two by two according to the starting positions that the drivers had drawn in the drivers meeting for this event. Adam Lilly from Chickasaw County would be starting on the inside pole position with Bo Duke on the outside of the first row. On the second row Brodie Smith was on the inside with Dobro Doolin on the outside. In the the third row, Enos Straight was on the inside with Ernie Leadbetter on the outside only one car behind Duke's car. The next row was made up of Jake Peters on the inside and Joe Fox on the outside. In the fifth row, Mark McCormick was on the inside while Matt Spies lined up beside him on the outside. In the back row, Mike Faykus was on the inside and Turk Folley on the outside.

The first lap around the track would be under caution, if everyone was lined up right and everything looked a go the flagman would signal that they would go green as they came down the back stretch into turn three, but the drivers wouldn't actually get the green flag until they came out of turn four. As Bo came out of turn two his eyes were on the car beside him and the light ahead of him in turn three. Half way down the back stretch the light flickered from yellow to green a couple times. Bo was ready as he went into turn three and out of turn four to jump on the gas but he knew he had to see the green flag before he could get on the gas.

The next thing Bo knew the car beside him had jumped on the gas a whole second early. The flag that was displayed was the yellow caution flag not the green. The flagman had seen Adam Lilly jump the flag. All the drivers had to do a bit of fancy driving for a few seconds to keep out of the drivers in front of them while not getting hit by anyone behind them that had also hit the gas.

"Durn it!" Bo swore. That meant another slow lap or two around the track to get everyone back in the right places again.

Luke shook his head when he saw the caution flag and not the green one.

Jeb walked up from where he'd parked his bike, well at least that was how he was thinking of it now that he had placed in the money in two of the three events, and said to his oldest cousin, "Think they all make it through the first lap this time?"

Luke replied, "If they don't, ... it may be a, ... long day."

Jeb frowned not a what Luke said but how he'd said it. Looking closer at Luke he seen that he was a bit pale, "Luke are you alright?"

"Just over, ... did it. I'll be fine." Luke said trying to act like he felt better than he did at the moment.

The green flag was finally dropped and to Luke's relief they all made it through the first lap but only barely as Jake Peters drift up the track going in to turn one on the second lap. Joe Fox didn't have anywhere to go as he was forced into the wall, Mark McCormick was on the low side of the track and missed the mayhem. Beside McCormick, Matt Spies was not that lucky and ended up hitting Peters and Fox head on resulting in another caution flag.

After the crash was cleaned up, the drivers once again took the green flag. The next few laps were made up of the drivers getting into a pecking order. Some cars were faster, some drivers better. Adam Lilly had lost his first place starting position long ago. Bo had managed to stay out in front while Enos managed to get around Dobro and Brodie. They had been far too interested in trying to get ahead of each other than to watch Enos. McCormick had his own problems with Leadbetter while Faykus and Turk Folley were trading paint with each other. Faykus had the power and was able to loose Folley and begin moving up.

Bo had gotten ahead of the pack and put some distance between them. _'Maybe staying out in front isn't gonna be so hard after all.'_ Bo thought as another lap was complete.

Luke was watching closely as Bo pulled away from the others in his car. A smile slowly started to form on the oldest cousin's face, just before he saw Faykus coming up fast. "Boooo watch you back door." Luke said.

Jeb looked behind Bo to see what Luke saw, "Ah, man that is Faykus and he's movin' up."

"Yes, he is. I just hope, ... Bo's watching his mirrors." Luke said.

It took a couple more laps before McCormick on Faykus's tail had made it around the rest of the pack and were closing in on Enos. Working together while the others battled their own private battles the two moved up until only Bo Duke was in front of them. They were soon able to close in on the lead that Bo had worked to get.

Bo looked up when he got on the back straight away and seen Faykus in his mirror. "Crap!" Bo exclaimed as he put his foot a bit further to the floor.

Faykus already had his powerful engine wound up and was ready to cut below Bo as they came into turn three. Bo had enough time to see what Faykus was trying to do and dove to the inside of the track blocking Faykus from getting around him. As Bo came out of turn four he saw the flagger display the white flag, "One lap to go." He said aloud even though no one else could hear him.

"Look at that." Luke said.

Jeb replied, "If he can stay ahead for one more lap..."

Luke shook his head, "I don't think it's gonna be easy. ... You saw him in the drag races."

Bo had Luke's car wound out as much as he could get it down the front stretch into turn one Bo put the Ford all the way to the bottom of the track hoping to block Faykus.

That had been exactly what Faykus figured Bo would do. He smiled as he waited until the last second to swing out on Bo's right side. He had the car around Bo before they reached turn two.

McCormick was one of Luke Duke's best friends. As much as he'd like to see Luke's car win, this was a race and he was here to do his best. When he seen Bo cut down, he knew that Faykus was going high. He waited, when Faykus cut right, Mark was on his tail and beside Bo Duke.

Luke swore when he seen both Faykus and McCormick swing to Bo's right. He hoped that Bo had better sense than to try to move up the track on them in the curve. The higher they went on the track the wetter and slicker the track would be. If Bo moved up, there was potential that any of the three drivers could get loose or into one another which could put all them out of the race.

Bo was doing some swearing of his own right now, he'd already lost the lead to Faykus and McCormick was nearly even with his door as they came out of turn two, two cars wide. They raced that way down the back stretch and into turn three where Bo had taken a bit of a higher line than he had been doing through out the entire race.

McCormick seen what Bo was up to and yelled, "BO!" As he seen his line on the track getting smaller and smaller. "Ah, Sh-!" McCormick swore as he was forced into letting up on the gas for just a split second. Just long enough for Bo to pull ahead of him into turn four. McCormick dove low and tried to get around Bo Duke on the low side as they came out of turn four.

Just ahead of both drivers the flagman was already displaying the checkered flag for Faykus who was crossing the finish line. Bo and McCormick were giving their cars all they dared to as they both crossed the finish line. Bo, however, was just slightly ahead of McCormick's Firebird, who was about a half a track ahead of the rest of the racers.

Announcer: "Well, folks that's it. The unofficial results, Mike Faykus, Bo Duke and Mark McCormick will finish in the money. Check race boards for the final results. Now, is the time to visit all the lovely ladies at the concession stands while we give these drivers about thirty minutes to get ready for the next event which will be starting and finishing on the round track in front of you have someone hold on to your seats. The next event is the overland moonshine race, where each car will carry ten jugs of WATER, ummm, ... you know for race and ummm, ... legal purposes, over a course that will take them off the race track and overland. There are a couple check points along the way and we'll keep you up to date as the drivers pass through each check point. Once they are back we'll move over to the Motor-Cross track that I see a couple of guys over there putting the finishing touches on now so stick around!"

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Thanks for reading. Please revew.


	79. Sunday Afternoon Racing!

Chapter 79

After taking care of the morning chores, Jesse Duke spent his early morning drinking coffee and catching up on all the local news in the Sunday paper before getting ready to head off to church. This would be one of the few Sunday's that Jesse Duke would be alone in the Duke pew. He knew many around Hazzard may not agree with him, but his kids were good kids, even if they did try his patience from time to time. All considered none of the four, including Jeb who was spending the summer with him, asked for much so Jesse felt that occasionally it wouldn't hurt to allow them to miss church for a race. Besides, if they were racing on a track they weren't at the lake racing illegally, but he still had a nagging pain in his big toe. Shrugging his shoulders, Jesse chalked it up to the possibility of the weather. _'Maybe we're gonna get some bad weather this week.'_ He said to himself as he headed out to church.

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Cooter and Beverly had spent the morning in each other's arms, then drifted back off to sleep. Cooter had now been awake for several minutes before nature caused him to have to leave his wife's arms and their bed.

Beverly said sleepily, "Where are you going?"

"Not far." Cooter replied.

"Good." She said as she snuggled closer to Cooter's side of the bed and dozed back off.

At the sink, Cooter washed his hands and face then turned to look at the clock. It was nearly one in the afternoon. His thoughts went to his friends at the race track as he wondered how each was doing. He couldn't help but hope that his not being there hadn't cost any of them any money. Cooter knew that they all counted on him being around on race day in case they had mechanical problems or needed a tow home. One glance at his wife in his bed and he was pretty certain that any of the guys at the track wouldn't blame him one bit for choosing to be so close to a real, live woman than to be at a race track with them. He grinned widely at the thought as he put on his pants, then sat on the bed near Beverly, "Sugar, it's nearly one o'clock."

Beverly replied without opening her eyes, "Uh-huh." She frankly didn't care what time it was, she had more than enjoyed herself last night and this morning and was fine to stay right where she was at the rest of the day.

"Come on Darlin' we need grab a bite of lunch and see if we can find a few things in town for the room so that I'm ready for work bright and early in the morning." Cooter said halfheartedly. All he really wanted to do right now was to join his wife under the covers again.

"Can't we just stay here a little longer?" Beverly asked.

Cooter grinned widely but offered a compromise, "The sooner we get things done the sooner we can be back here. Besides, I'll need to turn in early tonight to be up so early in the morning."

Beverly shot him a wide grin, "I like the part about going to bed early, but I'm not so sure I like the part about getting up early in the morning."

"Well, you don't have to get up early in the morning, but I do." Cooter said gently. He knew that the money they had wouldn't last them long.

"Oh but no. It's my duty as your wife to make you regret leaving me all alone all day and try to convince you to stay home with me." Beverly grinned with a bit of an evil grin.

Cooter made a mental note to himself to set the clock at least an hour before he had originally intended to, so that he was sure he'd be on time. If his wife planned to try to distract him, he may as well plan time to enjoy it. "Come on now, get up so we can get back here."

Beverly tossed the covers back exposing her nudeness. As she stood up, she took Cooter's hand and pulled him off the bed and behind her toward the bathroom.

Before Cooter knew what was happening his pants had hit the floor and he was being pulled into the shower behind his wife. Maybe he should set the clock for two hours before his normal wake up time in the morning!

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"Second! Luke did you see that? Bo finished second!" Jeb exclaimed as he nudged Luke with his right elbow. In Jeb's excitement, he had forgotten about Luke's injuries.

Jeb's excited nudge nearly put Luke to his knees in pain as Jeb's right elbow connected with the left side of Luke's rib cage. Luke couldn't help but to gasp at the pain, which sent another way of pain through out his injured ribs which set off a horrible wave of couching.

Jeb swore to himself when he seen the pain he had carelessly caused his older cousin as he apologized repeatedly.

Bo had gotten Luke's car parked a short distance away to prepare it for the next event. When he didn't see either of his cousins there, he started to where they would have watched the race. He saw Jeb first who was trying to apologize to Luke and ask him if he was alright as Daisy looked on with a frightened look on her face. Then he saw Luke nearly purple and coughing, Luke then gasped for air, followed by him hoarsely cursing before the next wave of coughing doubled him over. "Luke!?" Bo exclaimed in concern, "What's wrong?" He asked all of his cousins.

His reply was Daisy and Jeb talking as fast as they could, relieved that Bo was there to help. While Luke continued to suffer from the coughing fit.

Bo wasn't able to make out a word either Jeb or Daisy said and finally waved them off. He figured that whatever happened it didn't matter at the moment as he turned his attention to Luke, "Are you gonna be alright? Do you want me to get the ambulance over here?"

Luke was finally able to get a little control over his coughing as well as his breathing while he tried hard to calm himself down. Hearing Bo's concern, he shook his head 'no' and held up a hand for Bo to 'wait'. He hoped that if he could get the coughing to stop and be able to breath normally, well at least as normally as he had been for the last couple of weeks. Part of Luke wanted to curl up in a ball but bending over hurt his ribs worse. He knew laying down wasn't an option because he couldn't breath well laying down, but at the moment standing didn't seem like a healthy option either as he legs felt like they were going to give way. He gasped, "Got, ... to sit, ..."

Bo looked around and spotted a picnic table close by, "Jeb let's get him over there."

Daisy did the only thing she knew may help, she went to a nearby concession stand and got a cold lemonade.

Once Luke was sitting on the picnic bench attached to the picnic table he was able to lean back against the table and somewhat recline while still sitting upwards. After what seemed like a lifetime, Luke had stopped coughing as he was trying to breath slowly, but not too deep and not too fast.

"Luke I got you something cold." Daisy said.

Luke reached out for the large cup of lemonade and took a couple drinks. He finally got his breath back and his normal color was coming back. "Somebody drink about half this, ... then Bo pour the rest of that Mason jar in it."

Daisy frowned at what Luke had said. Surely, he had not brought any shine across the County line and didn't plan to drink it here in public at the track.

After sipping a few drinks of shine laced lemonade and recovering for a few minutes Luke knew that there was no way he'd be able to load for Bo and ride shotgun like he had orginally hoped to do. "Jeb can you load for Bo?"

Jeb was a bit surprised. Not only was Luke letting Bo drive his car, but he was now planning on sitting out of the one event that he had been insisting that he could do. Concern showed in the younger Duke's face as he replied, "Sure, Luke I can load for you, but are you sure you don't want to go get checked out?"

Luke waved his cousin's concern off. "Just load for him and ride shotgun." Luke took a few more breaths and reminded Bo, "Ya'll need to check the fluids in the car."

While Bo and Jeb went about checking out the car, Luke continued to give them both advice on how to run the race. Before they knew it the announcement was made for the drivers and loaders to report to their loading areas.

Knowing that Luke had really wanted to at least be able to ride along in this event, Jeb asked once more, "Are you sure about this?"

As much as Luke wanted be involved in this race, he did not want to spend anymore time stuck at the farm or worse yet as Doc's guest. "Yeah, ya'll just be careful."

As Daisy and Luke watched the cars pulling up to the loading areas they saw that not everyone would be racing or at least not against each other. Looking around Luke noted that Faykus and Folley's cars were on their car carriers.

The rest of the drivers had teamed up with each other so only four cars would be running against each other. Bo and Jeb had drew the fourth and last starting place. Mark McCormick and Dobro Doolin had teamed up together in the third position. Luke knew that they both had ran their share of real shine and both raced out at the lake often. Ahead in the second position was Brodie and Enos and in the first stating position was Ernie Leadbetter and Adam Lilly of Chickasaw County.

Bo, Mark, Brodie and Ernie were beside the driver's door of the cars, while their loaders were beside a table with three boxes and ten jugs of water. At the sound of the whistle, the loaders began loading the shine into the boxes, then the boxes in the trunks. The first person loaded was the first person to be able to pull out. Thanks Luke's tips, Jeb was able to get loaded first and he and Bo were off, followed a short distance away by McCormick and Dobro. It didn't take Enos long to load their jugs as he'd been helping his father load since he could carry a jug. Lilly seemed to have the most difficulties, causing Ernie to be the last to leave.

Once off the track the cars took various paths, trails, and dirt roads to try to get to the first check point first.

The announcer advised, "We've just got our first report from the first check point, Bo Duke was the first driver through, with McCormick right behind him. They were closelly followed by Brodie Smith and Ernie Leadbetter."

Daisy was beaming with pride as she turned in time to see Luke still supporting his left side. She couldn't hide the frown on her face.

Luke managed to catch Daisy's look. He knew she'd caught him showing far more weakness and pain than he intended to do in front of her. Luke forced himself to straighten up. This was the first time that Luke could remember he'd be glad when today's events were over.

The loudspeaker came to life again and the announcer said, "Check point two has just called in. Mark McCormick checked in first, followed by Brodie Smith, then Bo Duke and finally Ernie Leadbetter."

"Dang it Bo what are you doing out there?" Luke fumed.

A couple of miles out, Bo Duke was cursing himself while Jeb told him, "I told you that short cut was a bad idea."

Bo replied, "Well, now tell me something helpful." As he grab another gear trying to make up time and position.

Jeb had the map of the are provided by the race officials. "This looks like a straight shot, hang a hard left NOW!"

Bo didn't have time to second guess his cousin as he made the hard left turn.

The announcer at the third check point reported, "Mark McCormick was first, Bo Duke second, Ernie Leadbetter third and Brodie Smith last."

As soon as the third check point radioed in and the announcer reported the current positions, the crowd began to move to the finish line to see for themselves who would win this event. Luke and Daisy moved to where they would be in good position to see the end of the race just before the cars came into view.

When they heard the powerful engines, everyone looked up to see Bo Duke running neck and neck with Mark McCormick.

Luke couldn't help himself as he moved even closer to the roped off area. He was spouting off unheard advice to Bo as the finish line came closer.

The loud speaker came to life just as the cars crossed the finish line, "The unofficial results are: Bo Duke, Mark McCormick a close second, followed by Brodie Smith and Ernie Leadbetter. All car report for inspection. The final results will be posted soon. Now, we need all competitors to report for the Moto Cross event."

Luke exclaimed, "Alright!"

Daisy was beaming and bouncing, "He really won!"

"UN-officially so far, but yes." Luke replied.

Jeb was out of the car as soon as it reached the race officials, "I'm in the next race event, do you need me here?"

The official replied, "No you're good to go, we just need to check the car out a bit."

"Catch ya later, Bo." Jeb said.

Bo replied, "Yeah, you just be careful and have a good run!"

"That's the plan." Jeb said as he headed for his bike.


	80. A Not So Pleasant Trip for the Dukes!

NOTE: This is a re-post of the original chapter 80. I have included a couple of brief scenes that gives additional details. I was originally concerned with making the chapter too long.

There are two sections in BOLD PRINT in this chapter which were written by JadedPhoenixBurning after we talked about how I planned to write the ending to the motocross race. My story for several chapters has been built on this basic idea and was elaborated on from there. The first part of the three she wrote was in Chapter 77. You will see that Chapter 80 is unusually long, because she had thought that all three parts would go in the same chapter, but there was so much to tell that it just didn't work out that way. As I've said, I had permission to use some of her characters for this story and she even wrote these parts for it. After getting the idea in my mind I had to stick with it, there was no other way to write it for me. At one point she asked me not to include these sections but, because the rest of the story had been planned around these sections I had to use them. I'm sorry they were not added as she thought that they would be, but I couldn't just leave these parts out. Very few words were changed in her original writings so they would fit into the story line better. After this chapter, unless otherwise noted, any use of Kira, Ben or some of Jeb's biker friends will be my idea of those characters and should not be reflect on Jaded's idea of them. The primary reason for this introduction to Kira and Ben was to get you interested in reading the series that Jaded has been working on, which I co-wrote one of them and we've bounced ideas off each other for other parts of them. This also give you some early Jeb / Kira background. I hope you enjoy this extra long chapter! Reviews welcome!

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Chapter 80

While the race officials checked out the cars from the previous event, Jeb was able to give his bike a once over then headed over to the starting gate. Jeb's starting position would be right in the middle of the other fifteen bikes that would be lining up side by side. On his left was Kevin Windham, who had raced several years longer than anyone else in today's race. To Jeb's right was the bike to beat, Blake Horton.

**As the racers all approached the starting gate Benjamin Kyle had to smile as he watched the young girl beside of him show an interest in something other than books for the first time since he'd met her this past Christmas. He'd heard about the races this weekend and thought that it just might be worth checking out. Kira would be going back to the hospital later today for another round of treatments beginning tomorrow, so this would be the last chance she'd get to be up and about for a while. Ben hoped that by the time she was back up on her feet again the adoption papers would be pushed through so they could have a proper celebration. Not just celebrate the adoption but (he hoped) that the cancer that the young teen had been fighting had finally been beaten back.**

**Earlier, while the racers had been giving their bikes and cars a final check he'd seen not just one but two of the teenaged boys try to flirt with Kira; as inexperienced as she was though she never even noticed. Of course Ben also saw that she did seem to watch one of the boys in question a bit closer than she did the rest of the racers in the first two races. Now the third race was about to start and once again it didn't take long for Ben to see which of the racers had caught her eye.**

**Smiling, he figured that dating and flirting was one part of his young charge's life that wouldn't take long to become part of her normal life once the rest of the hazards of her life were settled.**

Bo, Daisy and Luke had found a place where they thought they could get the best look at most of the track. Luke was feeling much better after getting over his earlier coughing spell, but that may have been due to the shine laced lemonade he was still sipping on.

With all the racers ready the starting pistol fired, the gates dropped and the bikes were off in a blur leaving only a cloud of dust in their wake. By the time they got into the first turn the riders had spread out some as the riders who were slower to react at the start of the race and the slower bikes began to fall back. In the front of the pack of riders Charlie Sun, Matt Kinnison, Kevin Windham, Blake Horton and Jeb Duke were all still neck and neck as they took the turn five wide. Coming out of the first turn they headed toward the first jump, Matt and Blake were the first two to hit the dirt ramp followed by Jeb and Kevin. Around the next curve the track took them up a hill climb then cross country out of sight of most of the spectators.

At a high rate of speed the riders headed into a sharp turn Jeb had Blake in front of him and he was intent on getting around Blake as he cut to the inside of his friend and leaned deep into the turn. Kinnison was about a half of a bike lenght ahead of Jeb on the inside when he saw his chance. He gunned his bike a bit harder causing his rear wheel to slide into Jeb's front tire which was knocked to the right causing the bike to flip to the left and roll. As the bike flipped, Jeb was thrown off the bike landing on his left shoulder. Reaction and momentum caused Jeb to continue to roll away from the track to try to avoid being hit by the other riders.

As the rest of the riders passed Jeb, he stayed tucked into a small ball. As the sound of the engines faded Jeb knew he'd took a hard spill. He'd layed bikes down before and he'd gotten the wind knocked out of him, but not like this. Jeb was hurting all over as he tried to see if he was injured.

The race spotter ahead radioed in after the riders passed him, "This is Spotter Ten, I only had fifteen bikes come by me."

From where the Dukes were at they began to see a flurry of activity among the race officials as the riders came back into view. "Where's Jeb?" Daisy asked.

After taking a second look for his cousin, Luke counted the bikes. "Fifteen. He's not there."

Bo seen a race official near by, "I'll see what I can find out."

As Bo walked up man, he heard the officials radio, "We found him. We're between nine and ten. Send me an ambulance out here." That was enough information for Bo as he headed back to Daisy and Luke, "Come on." Bo said urgently.

The three hurried to Luke's car as Bo started off cross country toward the location he heard mentioned. Bo pulled up to see two bikes parked to the side of the track and two spotters standing by Jeb who was still laying at the side of the track, then he seen Jeb's bike several feet away from his cousin.

Seeing that Jeb was still on the ground got Luke's full attention. He heard his own words replay in his head, _'Ok, so don't say anything about it...As long as no one mentions any different they may just assume you are going with us. We'll be good until after the race at least.'_ He had encouraged Jeb to not tell anyone that he was racing this weekend.

The ambulance personnel pulled in and hurried toward Jeb as the other Dukes got to their cousins side. To their relief Jeb was awake and talking. Seeing the young man the ambulance worker asked, "How old are you?"

"Sixteen." Jeb replied.

"I'm going to need parental permission to treat him." The worker said.

Luke frowned. This is something they all had not thought of when they had decided it was a good idea not to tell Jeb's parents he wanted to race this weekend. "His parents aren't here. Can I give you permission?"

"Who are you?" The man asked with a sigh. This was why he hated these events.

Luke replied, "I'm his cousin."

"How old are you?" The man asked as he studied the young man before him who didn't look much older than the patient.

"Eighteen." Luke replied as he reached for his wallet to get his ID. He had seen the man doubt his age. "There is no one else here."

After checking the offered ID, the man said, "Sign here."

Luke signed the form.

"Alright, so where are you hurting?" He asked Jeb.

Jeb replied to the care giver, "All over, I think I can get up, but these guys told me not to."

"Right. Just stay still and we'll do the work." The other man said as they set about putting a neck brace on Jeb for precaution. They began to put him on a back board.

While being moved Jeb couldn't help but cry out in pain when his left shoulder was moved.

Luke heard Daisy trying to hide a sniffle and knew she was crying. He reached out and put his right arm around her.

After being placed on the cot and put in the back of the ambulance Jeb was off and heading to the hospital in Atlanta, since it was closer to the track than Tri-Counties with the other three Duke cousins following behind the ambulance.

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Pauline was taking full advantage of the twins nap time with the house otherwise to herself, she had taken her crocheting out to the porch with a glass of ice tea for some rare 'her time'. The day was warm but a cool breeze was gently blowing to make the weather picture perfect. The birds chirped and played in her bushes near the porch. The hound dog was curled up asleep on the top step. The cat was washing herself as she sat on the porch banister safely away from the dog that usually ignored her.

As Pauline started another row on the blanket she was working on she heard the phone ring. Laying the crocheting down on the swing she headed to the living room hoping the phone wouldn't wake the girls. "Hello, Duke residence."

"Aunt Pauline, ..." Luke hesitated in what he knew he had to say, as he tried to figure out a way to not scare his aunt. "Jeb is alright, but there was an accident at the track and Jeb was hurt. Can you come over to the hospital in Atlanta?"

"Accident? What on Earth happened? How could Jeb get hurt when Bo was the one racing?" Pauline processed Luke's vague information. Then, not waiting for Luke to answer her she added, "I'll be right there." After hanging up with Luke, Pauline called her sister in law, Grace. "Grace can you come over here quickly? I just got a call from the hospital. Something is wrong with Jeb."

Grace replied, "Let me turn off the stove and I'll be right there."

Pauline took the time to grab her purse and went to pick up the keys to her car, only to remember that Daisy had taken it to that blessed race track. She never liked driving Karen's car but it was the only thing there with John David's truck in Hazzard, so she picked up those keys and headed toward the front porch as Grace pulled in. "The girls are asleep in the living room."

"Do you know what happened?" Grace asked.

"No, all my nephew told me was that there had been an accident out at that fool race track and that my baby had been injured." Pauline said as she started off the porch.

"Be careful and don't worry about the girls." Grace said as she seen Pauline heading toward Karen's car. Grace shook her head at her sister in law's comment about Jeb, he was nearly grown and still at times she liked to treat him as if he we two.

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Jesse was also trying to enjoy his afternoon of peacefulness as he sat on the porch in his favorite rocking chair peeling apples to put down for the winter. Though he'd never admitted it to any of his kids, he'd found himself in the middle of a very one sided conversation with Maudine more than once today. He was a bit relieved when the phone rang to have another human to talk to as he answered, "Duke Farm, Jesse Duke speaking."

Luke let out the deep breath he was holding before beginning to speak, "Uncle Jesse, ..." Luke was cut off in mid sentence.

Hearing Luke's voice and the tone of dread that Luke used in those two words set off warning bells in Jesse's mind, "Now Luke you best not be calling to tell me that you are in jail for some blamed foolishness!"

That response was not the one Luke had expected from his uncle, "Umm, No, Sir. I was calling to tell you there was an accident at the track." Luke said, forgetting his planned speech to try to keep from worrying Jesse.

"Bo! Is he alright?" Jesse assumed that it was Bo who had been involved in the accident since he was the one racing.

"Yes, Sir. Bo is fine. It's Jeb that is at the hospital in Atlanta." Luke managed to get out.

"Jeb? Hospital? How in tar-nation?" Jesse asked.

Luke hoped that a brief reply would work, but he knew when the whole thing came out in the wash that he was going to be in a heap of trouble, "There was a couple of racing events that was for dirt bikes and, ..."

"Dagged nabit! And that dern fool just had to race in them! Is he alright?" Jesse asked.

Luke replied, "He's in with the Doctor now."

Jesse asked, "What about Pauline?"

Luke sighed, he dreaded his aunt's arrival, "She's on her way over here now."

"Well, so am I. I'll be over there just as soon as I can get over there." Jesse said as he hung up the phone and headed for his pickup.

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At the moment Jeb was not a very happy camper. If he learned anything today about wrecking a bike in an official race, it was that he should have taken his helmet off before the spotters got to him. The ambulance crew explained to him on the way to the hospital, that since he had a helmet on when they got to him that it was better to leave it on him until he got to the hospital. Not only was his helmet still on him but so was his racing suit which even in the air conditioning it was keeping him uncomfortably warm.

The way they had him tied down, about all Jeb could move were his feet and hands and right now he didn't even want to move a finger on his left hand. After the adrenaline left, Jeb had felt every time the ambulance, cot, or he moved. With his arm laying across his chest even the movement of breathing hurt his arm and he was feeling every heart beat in his shoulder.

He had been glad to see the familiar face of Doctor Greenwood when he came in the room. Jeb had hoped by now to be a bit more comfortable, to his displeasure Doc had told him that he'd have to deal with his situation just a bit longer until the needed X-rays were done. Jeb wasn't sure who was moving the gurney down the hallway and they better hope he never found out. Going into the X-ray room the door came back and hit the gurney causing shape pains throughout Jeb's shoulder and arm. He let fly a wave of curses that he was certain would not have been acceptable to any of his family's adults.

The trip back to the emergency room went much like Jeb's trip to X-ray. Now, he was thankfully left alone and still to wait for Doctor Greenwood to return.

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Bo paced the waiting room impatiently.

Daisy had a magazine that she was trying to concentrate on but could not tell you the first thing in it.

Luke had found the most comfortable chair in the waiting room, which wasn't saying too much because it wasn't the least bit comfortable. Jeb was still back with the doctor. Pauline and Jesse had been called and now Luke was currently blaming himself for the events of the last hour or so. How many times had he been told in his life that he was the oldest, that it was his responsibility to keep the others out of trouble and safe. Now, Jeb was hurt and most likely in every bit of trouble that Luke knew that he would be in just as soon as Jesse Duke found out that he'd not just let, but encouraged, Jeb to not tell his parents that he was racing. Then, of course there was Bo who would be in his fair share of trouble too. After all he did know of the conversation and went along with it. Luke was sure that there was enough trouble coming down the pike to go around to all the boys. _'Daisy might, just might be the only one not in trouble with Jesse by the end of the day.'_ Luke thought as he rubbed his aching left shoulder and neck muscles with his right hand.

Even in the busy waiting room the voice from down the hall was unmistakable to the three cousins.

Pauline had went straight to the first nurses desk she saw when she came in the hospital, "I'm Pauline Duke, I understand you have my baby boy here. He was involved in some sort of accident."

The nurse wasn't familiar with any children coming in from an accident but asked, "What is your child's name?"

"Jeb Stewart Duke." Pauline replied.

The nurse checked her records, "Yes, Ma'am, he is here. He is in with the doctor now. I'll be sure to tell the doctor you are here just as soon as he comes out."

Pauline was about to ask the nurse what Jeb's condition was when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Aunt Pauline." Luke said gently.

Pauline turned to see Luke, Bo and Daisy looking nervous, worried and very guilty, especially her oldest and favorite nephew. It was him she directed her inquiries. "Luke, tell me just how is it that my baby boy ended up here? Is he alright? What happened?"

Luke suggested as he guided his aunt toward the waiting room with his right hand while absent mindily still supporting his left side with his left arm, "Let's go in the waiting room. I'll tell you what I know."

They headed to the least crowded area of the room where Luke began, "We were at the track and there was some races that were motorcycle races and, ..."

"Motorcycles? What does that have to do with Jeb? He's never even ridden a motorcycle!" Pauline exclaimed nearly appalled at the thought of her only son doing something so dangerous.

This was going to be far worse than Luke had figured and he was going to have to deal with his aunt for several hours until Jesse got there. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Bo hoping for help. The look his younger cousin gave him told Luke that he had no idea how to get him out of this conversation. Having no other choice, Luke replied, "Jeb entered some of the races."

"How on Earth did he do that? He doesn't have a motorcycle!" Pauline said.

Luke wasn't about to tell everything he knew about Jeb being in the process of buying the bike that he was riding, so he said, "As far as I know he borrowed one from a friend of his."

"From a friend? Jeb's friends at school are good boys. None of them ride those things. Why I would know! None of them were those hideous leather jackets or have those horrible tattoos! There is certainly none of 'their kind' anywhere around Tranquil!" Pauline insisted. She grouped everyone who ever road a motorcycle into her idea of what a biker was and she certainly wouldn't allow Jeb to be around anyone like that.

Luke held up his hand in defense, "I wouldn't know anything, ... about that, but he had a bike, and entered the races. On the last race of the day, the track went out away from the fair grounds, ... so we couldn't see what happened. A spotter found Jeb and called for an ambulance. We went to him and followed the ambulance here. Then, I called you and, (cough) Uncle Jesse. He's on his way too."

"Well, do you know how badly Jeb is hurt?" Pauline asked worriedly.

"All I know is he was awake and talking. When they asked him where he was hurting he said everywhere, but that was right after the wreck. When they moved him though, it sounded like he was in pain." Luke may have tried not to have given much detail on the race, but he tried to give Pauline as much information about Jeb's condition as he could, but in truth he didn't know anything.

Before Pauline could ask anything else, Dr. Greenwood came in the waiting room. "Duke family?"

Pauline and the others turned toward the voice. She recognized Dr. Greenwood as their family doctor from Tranquil, "Doctor Greenwood?" She said in surprise to see him here in Atlanta.

"Pauline. I just happened to be working over here today when Jeb came in. Since I was familiar with his medical history I took care of him." Dr. Greenwood explained briefly.

"Thank you. I'm glad that you did." Pauline said, then asked eagerly, "How is my boy?"

"Yes, yes, of course, well other than maybe a busted shoulder, some bruises and likely a wounded pride he should be fine in a few weeks. Right now I've sent him down to X-ray which will take awhile because I want to make sure that he doesn't have any other injuries, but right now the only thing he's really complaining of is his left shoulder." Dr. Greenwood advised.

The Duke family let out a collective sigh of relief. They were thankful that Jeb wasn't hurt any worse.

"As I said, it's going to be awhile if you want to grab something to eat or coffee. I'll let you know just what we're dealing with after I see the X-rays." Dr. Greenwood suggested.

"Thank you again, Doctor." Pauline said.

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Jeb's X-rays had been taken to Doctor Greenwood in his office to read. Doctor Greenwood studied the X-ray intently before letting out a relieved sigh as he cut the light off behind the X-ray of Jeb's left shoulder. He would first stop and talk to Jeb's mother, then head down to the Emergency Room to make his patient more comfortable.

Pauline and the others were in the waiting room when Doctor Greenwood came back in. Pauline stood up to meet the doctor followed by her niece and nephews.

Doctor Greenwood gave her a reassuring look as he greeted Jeb's mother. "Pauline, Jeb will be fine. As I suspected he has a busted shoulder and there is a break in his left arm about here." He pointed to a place on his own arm about half way between the shoulder and elbow.

"When can I see him?" Pauline asked fighting to contain her emotions.

Doctor Greenwood explained, "I'm going down now to make him more comfortable and get his arm set. I'd like to keep him here tonight, but you can see him when he gets in a room."

"Yes, yes of course." Pauline said before going on a rant, "I just don't know what got into that boy! Racing! and a motorcycle no less. He could have been killed or worse! I just don't know how I'm supposed to keep him from getting hurt worse with John David not at home." Pauline rang her hands as she spoke.

Doctor Greenwood had known Pauline Duke for years. He knew that she was worried about her son. He had seen her like this several times over the years when the kids were hurt or sick. "Pauline just sit down and don't get yourself so worked up." He guided her to a nearby chair, then gently added, "The sooner I get Jeb fixed up the sooner you can see him."

Pauline tried to pull herself together, but with John and Karen being in jail of all places and now Jeb being hurt, her nerves were getting the best of her.

Luke assured the doctor, "We'll be here with her and our Uncle should be here anytime."

Greenwood silently thanked them, then headed off to take care of Jeb. As he walked down the hall, Pauline's words about Jeb not getting hurt worse stuck in Doctor Greenwood's mind. Thanks to all the new modern treatment methods of injuries such as Jeb's, they usually only required a brace or support with a sling to limit movement of the injury, some pain and anti-inflammatory medications and a lot of rest. There was the key thing, rest. Doctor Greenwood knew that trying to get a teenaged boy to rest and limit his movement, at least the Duke boy in question would be difficult if not impossible.

Doctor Greenwood stopped by his office again for another look at the break in Jeb's arm and shoulder. They were bad breaks but with proper treatment shouldn't cause any further problems later in the young man's life. However, if the patient didn't follow strict instructions, he could have pain and problems with this injury for years to come.

Considering his patient, the injuries and any and all alternative treatments, Doctor Greenwood sighed. He knew what was the best treatment for his patient, though it may not be a very popular, but being the old-fashioned doctor that he was he was going to do what he thought best. He was sure Jeb would appreciate it later in life.

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As long as Jeb didn't breath real deep, the pain from his left shoulder was almost bearable as he waited for the doctor to return. Thankfully it wasn't a long wait.

"Alright, Jeb I have some good news for you, ..." Doc said as he entered the room.

Jeb cut the doctor's sentence off, "Good, I could use some good news about now."

Dr. Greenwood continued, "But, I also have some not so good news. First, Nurse Jones has a shot for you which will get you feeling better." He knew that Jeb was not fond of needles and usually protested them to the end.

A shot was not the best thing that Jeb heard, but if the medicine made him feel better he wouldn't say a word about a needle this time. Without any protest of the shot, Jeb asked, "And the bad news?"

The lack of protest by the patient told the doctor just how much pain Jeb was in. "We're going to get your helmet and suit off you and get you off that back board, then I'll have to set your left shoulder and arm which even with the medication won't be at all comfortable until we're done."

After the helmet was off, the straps from the back board were released. Jeb heard the nurse say, "Just hold still, I promise not to cut you."

He turned to see a rather pretty nurse with a pair of scissors in one her hand and the sleeve of his racing suit in the other. "Woah! Wait a minute. You can't cut that." He protested.

"It's the only way to get it off you without hurting your shoulder and arm." She said.

Jeb was already reaching for the zipper with his right arm, "Never mind the pain, you ain't cutting this suit!" Several minutes later Jeb was now out of the suit and in a hospital gown and jeans. The throbbing in his arm and shoulder currently made him regret insisting taking the racing suit off instead of letting it be cut, but he knew how expensive they were and how much trouble he'd had getting this one without his parents knowing. "Oh, no!" Jeb moaned as he sat on the gurney, then thought, _'Now they will know everything.'_ He wasn't sure if it was that thought or the pain from his injuries, but suddenly he urgently told the nurse, "Goin' be sick!"

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Out in the waiting room, Daisy was doing her best to get Pauline to settle down, but it seemed after she had found out that Jeb was going to be alright that her mind was playing out all the unthinkable things that could have gone wrong for Jeb, as well as Bo.

Bo was alternating pacing the waiting room with stepping out side to see if his Uncle Jesse had arrived yet.

Luke was fine with everyone just ignoring him. The shine he'd sipped on earlier had left with the adrenaline of Jeb's accident not to mention that Bo had not at all taken it easy getting to Jeb cross country. After finding out that Jeb was going to be alright, Luke hadn't felt good at all. He was currently trying to chalk it up to dreading facing his Uncle who was due anytime now as he rubbed the back of his aching neck.

"There ya'll are! I've been all over this blamed hospital a'looking for ya'll." Jesse fumed as he headed to the vacant seat beside Pauline, "How is Jeb?"

Jesse arriving had been like opening a flood gate. Pauline never handled bad situations well, and thanks to John David and Jesse she never had to handle them alone. Up until now, she felt she had to remain strong for the kids. As Pauline started to tell Jesse that Jeb would be alright the tears began to fall, "Doctor Greenwood is our family doctor and is here today. He is taking care of Jeb. He said that Jeb's shoulder was busted up and his arm is broken, ..." By the time she finished Pauline was nearly wailing.

Jesse put his arm around his sister in law and turned his attention to his oldest. "Now, Luke can you tell me just what in tarnation happened?"

For a hospital with air conditioning, the waiting room was suddenly a lot warmer now that Jesse turned his attention toward Luke than it had been when they first got there. In fact he felt himself break out in a full sweat as he began to speak. "Uncle Jesse the last event today was a motocross race that Jeb entered in."

"You **let** him enter in it without telling any of us?" Jesse asked.

Luke looked his uncle in the eyes and said truthfully, "No, Sir. He was already pre-registered when we got there." Luke left out that he **knew** Jeb was pre-registered for the race before leaving Hazzard.

That made Jesse feel a bit better about Luke's involvement in this situation, but when Jeb was feeling better he'd be sure to have a long talk with that boy, not to mention getting to the bottom of all this with Luke. But for now, he said, "Go ahead."

Luke continued, "After the first jump and hill climb, ..."

Pauline raise her head from Jesse's shoulder, "Jump! and hill climb? What on Earth do you mean?"

Jesse motioned for Luke to tone the race details down a bit, "Never mind all that, Luke."

"Anyway the track went outside fair grounds so we didn't see what exactly happened. When the bikes came back into view we didn't see Jeb..." Luke paused to catch his breath, "Bo, ... (cough) went to check with a race official and, ... over heard his radio talking about a crash and wanting an ambulance. So, we, ..." Luke began coughing nearly as bad as he had at the track earlier.

Hearing Luke coughing got Bo's attention. He came over to Luke to see what was wrong. Luke would cough several times, then try to take a breath, then return to coughing again like he had earlier at the track.

Jesse looked at Bo, "What's the matter with him?"

Bo replied, "He had a coughing spell like this earlier at the track. Luke are you all right?"

It was everything Luke could do not to curse from the pain the coughing was causing.

Doctor Greenwood, the orthopedist, and Nurse Jones had finished setting Jeb's arm and shoulder and additional medication was given to reduce Jeb's pain from his shoulder and arm being set. Now Doctor Greenwood came in the waiting room in time to catch the last of Luke's coughing spell. "Pauline?" He said with a questioning look at Luke.

Pauline had turned her attention to Luke also, "Luke, Dear?"

Luke was supporting his left side with his left arm as best that he could while coughing. As he looked up at his aunt he noticed that all eyes were on him. "I'm, ... alright, ... it's just, ... hot in here."

"Hot? I've been freezing since I got here." Daisy said dressed in jeans, tank top and long sleeve shirt over it.

Doctor Greenwood stepped over and layed his hand on Luke's forehead. He was very hot. "Has he been sick recently?"

Jesse answered before Luke could deny being sick. "He's got a couple broken ribs."

Doctor Greenwood frowned as he put his stethoscope on and listened to Luke's back then his chest. Without a further word, he stepped outside the waiting room and came back with a wheelchair. "Get in son."

By now Luke was breathing better and had stopped coughing, "What? What's that for?"

"It's not what's it is for, it is for a who, that just happens to be you." Greenwood said.

Surprised, Luke said while still having some difficulty getting his breath, "For me? Why? It was just a bad, ... coughing spell, ... it's over now." Luke said between gasps of air.

Hearing Luke's wheezes, Dr. Greenwood asked, "That maybe, but I'd like to get a chest X-ray. Have you been out in the night air or in air conditioning since you've had the broken ribs?"

Luke frowned not only at the question but the fact that he was also now wheezing as he breathed in, "The only air conditioning is here and I think it's broken. It felt like it was on high when we first got here, but it feels like the heat is on now. As for the night air, we were out at the track last night until after the fireworks were over."

Doctor Greenwood nodded knowingly, "Yes, that would about do it."

"Do what?" Jesse asked in concern. He hoped that the doctor wasn't thinking what he was.

"Well, as I said I'd like to do an X-ray just to rule out pneumonia." Greenwood said.

Luke frowned, "Pneumonia? Really Doc, ... I'm fine."

"Well just hop in and we'll go make sure." The doctor insisted.

Luke looked up from his chair wanting to decline, but he seen the warning look from his Uncle Jesse just before he heard Jesse use 'that' tone when he called his name.

"Luke." Jesse said.

Knowing that he wasn't going to win, Luke winced as he got out of the chair and into the wheel chair. Once in X-ray he was told to strip down to his jeans and put on a gown, then in front of the chest X-ray machine Luke was told to stand facing the machine with his arms up in the shape of a goal post, then turn around and do the same thing from the other side. The next thing Luke knew a pretty nurse just a few years older than him was at his side to help him get back in the wheel chair. Once in the wheel chair, Luke was sure someone had turn the air conditioning way down. He was now visibly shaking from the cold. The nurse asked, "Can I get you a warm blanket?"

Normally Luke would have preferred a very warm nurse, but replied in defeat, "Yeah, two if you have them."

The nurse went to the blanket warmer and got the handsome young patient three warm blankets. "Here, Hon these should make you feel better."

Luke readily took the warm blankets. The blankets warmth made him chill more and he could feel his teeth chatter as the nurse bent down to tuck the blankets around him, showing more cleavage than the trophy girls at the track. Luke's muscles began to ache as he pulled the warm blankets tightly around him.

Just as the nurse started to take Luke out of X-ray she heard him say, "Gonna be sick!"

Quickly thinking the nurse grabbed a nearby waste paper can and handed it to Luke who promptly lost his lunch in it. As he coughed, heaved and gagged; Luke prayed one minute for relief and cursed the pain the next.

The young nurse saw her patient's condition declining and quickly grabbed the phone to call the emergency room and ask for assistance.

Before Luke knew what was happening, he was put from the wheel chair to a gurney, an oxygen mask was put on his face, he was rushed down the hall back to the emergency room, and he began feeling several needles sticking both arms. The trouble with all this was, there wasn't much Luke could do about it. He felt like he could not fight his way out of a wet paper bag.

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Doctor Greenwood had just been about to tell the Dukes about Jeb's condition when the call had come from the X-ray room. He had then hurried off to check on his second patient. About an hour had passed before he got Luke stabilized and resting.

With Luke resting, Greenwood returned to see four very concerned Dukes. "Both the boys will be fine. Jeb should be in his room by now. As for Luke, we're monitoring him in the emergency room for awhile longer. He's resting now, but with his injuries, the night air last night and the air conditioning here, he just didn't stand a chance. I'm afraid he has developed a rather nasty case of pneumonia. We've got him on IV antibiotics as well as something to make him rest. I'd like to keep them both at least until at least tomorrow."

Jesse and Pauline readily agreed. Neither liked the idea of the boys not being under their roofs, but wanted the best care for them.

Doctor Greenwood told the Dukes they could stop in the emergency room for a minute to check on Luke, then could visit with Jeb until Luke was brought up to the same room later. As they walked, he explained, "Luke managed to give our young X-ray tech a bit of a scare earlier. He had gotten sick while in X-ray. The pain from his ribs from throwing up effected his breathing, so we've still got him on Oxygen which he protested until the medication put him out."

Looking at the younger two cousins, Doctor Greenwood felt the need to add, "He's also on a couple monitors just so we know what's going on with him while he rests and we've got him on antibiotic medication through an IV. The machines and things may look a bit scary, but he is doing much better than he was earlier."

As they stepped into cubical of the emergency room where Luke was, the Dukes now realized why Doctor Greenwood had tried to prepare them for what they would see. Luke, who had just a few hours ago been working on his car and enjoying himself, was now in bed, flat on his back, with an IV on one arm, a gauge patch on the other most likely where blood had been taken, an Oxygen mask on, a blood pressure cuff on one arm with another gaget on his pointer finger and several patches stuck to his chest with wires running to a small television like monitor with numbers and wavy lines on it.

Daisy and Pauline both let out a gasp at the sight of how pale Luke looked laying against the snow white sheets.

"Uncle Jesse?" Bo said in concern.

Jesse, himself was taken aback by his oldest nephew's condition, but if Pauline trusted the man with her family, he must be in good hands and he had said Luke was doing better. "Bo the Doc said Luke will be fine. Now, you all run along and see Jeb, I'll be along directly." Jesse said. He had no intention of leaving Luke until he was asked to do so. He stepped closer to Luke's side and seen several blankets that were on him. Jesse reached out and touched his oldest forehead and found him still very hot and feverish as he brushed a couple of stray hairs off Luke's face. He silently sent out a prayer to his maker for both his nephews as he remembered when they both got well that he had some unfinished business with them both.

Pauline Duke wasn't sure what she had expected when she walked in the hospital room, but the sight of her son wasn't it. The very first thing she noticed was the shiner Jeb had under his left eye. Then she followed Jeb's face downward, the sheet and blanket were pulled up to Jeb's chest over the hospital gown, but even under the covers and gown Pauline Duke could tell by Jeb's picture perfect posture even while asleep that he was wearing a rather large cast under the hospital gown.

Doctor Greenwood had been just down the hallway and seen the family going in Jeb's room, so he went to further explain to Pauline, Jeb's condition. "Pauline." He said quiet and gently to avoid waking Jeb.

Pauline turned toward the family doctor with tears in her eyes.

"He'll be fine. I was trying to tell you earlier when your nephew became ill about the treatment I have chosen for Jeb. First off, his injuries are pretty bad breaks which should heal with no lasting effects with plenty of rest and restricted movements. Now, we both know your son and how well it would set with him to have to limit his actions. I could have used a brace or support with a sling to limit movement of the injury but you would have been constantly trying to keep him in them and keep him still. So I figured that casting was the best opinion at least for a few weeks until the injuries begin to mend. The cast covers his entire left arm from the wrist up and over the injured shoulder down to about the top of his jeans which will keep his arm and shoulder totally immobilized. I'll warn you, Jeb wasn't real happy about the cast, but I also didn't tell him there was other treatment options, because this seemed to be the only suited for him."

Pauline Duke felt a bit better that Jeb's injury wasn't as bad as the large cast made it look. She would have to agree with the doctor, Jeb would have tossed any brace or support and the sling right in his dresser and never worn it again once he got home. "Thank you Doctor." She said as she turned her attention back to her first concern and her nephew, "Bo Duke what happened to Jeb's eye?"

Bo looked at his cousin. For a moment he had forgotten all about the fight where Jeb had got the shiner that was now standing out. He grimaced before he could stop it. He knew Luke would have likely implied that it happened in the wreck but he knew his aunt would never buy it now.

Unseen or heard by anyone in the room, Jesse Duke had walked in quietly just in time to hear the doctor tell about the cast. He cleared his throat to let Bo know he was standing behind him.

Bo sighed loudly before replying. "From what Jeb told us, one of the guys he had beaten earlier wasn't real happy about it."

"Oh, my heavens! Jeb was in a fight too!? I should have known better than to let my **baby** spend the summer with you all! I knew it, I just knew it, that with Luke in jail for fighting that Jeb should have come back home where he'd have been safe and not being corrupted!" In Pauline's rant she had said somethings that she didn't really mean but they had just come out.

Bo didn't like some of the things his aunt said, especially about Luke and he was just about to tell her so when he seen his Uncle Jesse give him a look to keep quiet.

"Now Pauline, there's no need in going over all that again." Jesse said, "Jeb here is going to be fine."

Pauline reached in her purse for a handkerchief, "I'm sorry Jesse. It's just that I'm not so sure how much more I can take right now."

"I know Pauline. Why don't you let Bo pull you up a chair so you can sit by Jeb. I'm going to go find a phone and make a couple phone calls to get the farm's chores taken care of tonight and in the morning. If it's alright with you I'll just stay at your place tonight so I'll be closer to the boys tonight." Jesse suggested.

"Where are my manners? Of course you and Bo are welcome anytime at the house. You are right there is no need in driving back to Hazzard tonight and then all the way back here and back home tomorrow." Pauline said a bit embarrassed that she hadn't offered Jesse to stay sooner.

0101010101010101

Shortly before the night's visiting hours were up, a nurse asked the Dukes to step out to the waiting room a few minutes. They were bringing Luke up and wanted to get him settled.

When they were allowed back in the room, Luke had been put in the bed beside Jeb. Thankfully, most of the monitors, wire and machines had been removed, but Luke was still pale.

Doctor Greenwood came in to check on his two patients before heading home for the night. He gave the Dukes and updated progress report on Luke and told them that both boys would likely sleep through out the night.

"Can I stay with them?" Pauline asked. None of her children had ever spent a single night in the hospital without her being there and she didn't want to start now.

"Pauline, you have the other children at home. You won't be any good to anyone if you don't get your rest. Now, I've put both boys in here together. They are both nearly grown young men, so no I'm not going to go against hospital rules so that you can stay tonight when it won't do anyone any good." Doctor Greenwood said, then added. "In fact, they will both be here at least until I come in at three tomorrow, so there is no need in getting here before say four. If there is any problems, the nurse will call you right after she calls me."

Pauline started to protest and Jesse wasn't far behind her, but he knew the doctor was right.

The adults could also tell that the younger cousins weren't a bit happy with their older cousins spending the night alone in the hospital either.

"Trust me Pauline, Jeb will be back out there racing that motorcycle before you know it." Doctor Greenwood tried to reassure the worried mother.

Pauline's sharp reply was only, "Over my **DEAD BODY**!"

Jesse, Bo and Daisy grimaced feeling really bad for Jeb when his mother got a hold of him once he was healed up.

0101010101010101

Doctor Greenwood was right, the boys would likely have slept through out the night had it not have been for Pauline's out burst. Then a few minutes later the nurse came in to tell the family that it was time for them to go.

Even with most of the conversation being in hushed tones the familiar voices called through the medication induced sleep to Jeb as he began to stir.

Pauline immediately moved from where she had been talking to Doctor Greenwood and was back at Jeb's side, "Jeb, Jeb Darling? Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

Jeb was awake but his eyelids were too heavy to get open right at the moment. Instead, he faintly replied, "I'm alright Mother." Though at the moment Jeb found himself feeling anything but fine as he finally got his eyes open to the bright light of the hospital room.

On the other side of the room, Luke also was hearing the voices of his family. When Luke opened his eyes he was a bit disoriented mostly due to the medication that had been ordered for him to help him rest. His chest felt tight, in fact it felt like his car was parked on top of him as his hand automatically went to the Oxygen tubing.

Jesse seen Luke's hand move toward the Oxygen just a split second before he realized that Luke was awake. "Luke." Jesse warned. "Don't mess with that, it needs to stay there." He said as he gently moved Luke's hand back away from the tubing.

The head of Luke's bed had been elevated as Luke slept, but Luke was trying to scoot up to be able to sit up farther so he could get his breath better or at least that was Luke's hope.

Daisy jumped to help him, "Here. Luke I'll raise the bed up if that's what you want." She picked up the bed control and raised the head of the bed more. "Is that better?"

Luke nodded 'yes' as he tried to swallow the cotton ball in his throat, at least that is what it felt like after having the Oxygen on while he slept. "Thirsty." Luke managed to get out.

Again Daisy was the closest to the water pitcher and quickly reached to pour some into the cup at the bedside.

Jesse held up a hand to hault her, "Doctor Greenwood is it alright that Luke have something to drink?"

"Yes, that's fine and if he wants anything from the Coke machine before you all leave that's fine but Luke you may want to to stick with something clear. Jeb you can have something too, but I want you both to stay in bed tonight so let someone else get it for you." Doctor Greenwood said.

After taking a couple sips of water, Luke said, "I'd like to have a Sprite, ... if you can."

Daisy offered, "I have plenty of change. Jeb what would you like?"

Jeb had been trying to figure out how he was supposed to move in the cast that Doc had put him in, but stopped to reply, "Anything will work, thanks." Then he turned his head toward his Doctor, "How am I supposed to move in this blamed thing?" The aggravation clearly showed in Jeb's voice.

Doctor Greenwood replied, "Well, Jeb that's most of the reason that you are in a cast to begin with. The breaks you have in your shoulder and arm are pretty serious as I told you earlier. The main thing to help them heal properly is limited movement and rest. Actually, had most any of my other patients had the same injuries I'd likely have used less restrictive methods."

"Less restrictive methods?" Jeb asked. His mind was still a bit foggy from the medication.

"Yes, most of my patients would have been good with a brace and sling, but I felt it was in your best interests to use this method so that I am sure that your shoulder and arm don't move at least until they start to heal." Doctor Greenwood explained. Then added, "As for moving around tonight, you can use the bed controls to help you sit up farther. If either of you have to get out of bed ring for a nurse. The medication you were given earlier should have kept you both resting for hours, so you'll likely be unsteady on your feet as well as the weight from the cast will have you off balance until you get used to it."

Jeb had heard enough of the doctors explanation to become even more aggravated with his situation, "You mean to tell me I'm trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey because, ..."

"Because we all know you, Jeb Stewart Duke. That brace and sling would have been in your dresser never to be worn again ten minutes after you got home." Pauline said.

Jesse was standing in between his nephews beds, "Jeb you know that your mother and Doctor Greenwood are right. There ain't a one of you boys that can follow doctors orders if it means sitting still. Just look at Luke there. He's been hurt since the middle of June and ain't don't himself any favors in getting better since then."

"Yes, that's about how I heard it when I talked to Doctor Applebee earlier." Doctor Greenwood said.

It was Luke's turn to groan out loud, "You've talked to, ... Doctor Applebee?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have. I called him earlier when you were in the Emergency Room to find out your medical history." Doctor Greenwood turned and directed his next comment to Jesse Duke, "Doctor Applebee also told me to tell you, that once I let Luke out of here and you get back to Hazzard with him to stop by his office. It seems that he has a bed waiting on him there."

Luke started to protest as best he could though he was still having problems catching his breath, "But, ... that's not necessary, ... Uncle Jesse can, ... take care of me, ... just fine."

"That may be, son, but it's the only way I'm releasing you from here tomorrow." Doctor Greenwood said.

Luke grimaced. He knew how stubborn his Uncle and Doctor Applebee were and it looked like Doctor Greenwood was cut from cloth.

Jesse tried unsuccessfully to hide his grin at how Doctor Greenwood handled his nephew's stubborness.

Doctor Greenwood checked his watch. Visiting hours had been up ten minutes ago but with the boys awake he hadn't pushed the issue. "Alright folks, these boys and you all need rest. I'll give you ten more minutes then you need to head on out." He looked dead at Pauline, "That's twenty minutes more than I should have let you stay. No arguments."

It was times like this that made Pauline Duke wonder why she had chosen this man as her family's doctor.

Jesse knew that there was only three men that he knew of that had ever dared to handle Pauline so firmly. One was his young brother, now Doctor Greenwood and of course himself.

After saying their 'goodbyes', Jesse herded Pauline, Daisy and Bo out of the boys room to head toward Pauline's for the night.

Luke found that his near sitting position helped his breathing and was about as comfortable as he could hope to get. He was just about to doze back off when Jeb voice caught his attention.

"I just can't believe that Doctor Greenwood would make me wear this thing!" Jeb fumed finding most of his upper body unmovable. In fact it was still a struggle to sit up using the bed controls and his good arm which was also sore from being bounced around in the wreck. When he managed to get sitting up his back was held perfectly straight. "Do you believe this?"

Luke sighed letting out what little breath he had in his lungs, "Yeah, ... I do. Remember, ... he called Doctor Applebee! He already promised, ... to put me to bed, ... at the clinic, ... if I so much as left, ... the front porch for a week, ... two weeks ago."

"Do you think Uncle Jesse can talk Mom into letting me go back with ya'll?" Jeb could only hope.

Luke said as he dozed off, "Wouldn't count on it."

"Yeah." Jeb sighed. It was bad enough being hurt or sick without having to be hurt or sick at home where he'd be lucky to get out of bed to go to the restroom. Not to mention that his room was right beside the twins room. Jeb shook his head. This was going to be a summer to remember, ... to remember how not to ever spend another summer like this one. He tried his best to get as comfortable as he could, however everytime he moved he found something else that hurt.

0101010101010101

About the time Jeb thought he'd just closed his eyes, he heard the nurse talking in hushed tones as she took Luke's vitals. Jeb was trying to ignore the sounds when he heard the older nurse speaking to him, "Mr. Duke I've got to get your vitals, Dear."

Jeb still felt like he'd sipped a little too much shine the night before as he opened his eyes. After the nurse took his blood pressure, temperature and respirations she reached for the bed controls, "Here, I'll just help you get sit up. Breakfast should be here soon." She said much too cheerful for Jeb's liking.

It took a bit of work on Jeb's part, but soon he found himself sitting posture perfect straight up against the raised bed behind him. He watched the nurse walk out then said lowly, "Luke?"

"Yeah." Luke replied.

"I was just checking on you." Jeb said.

Luke replied tiredly, "I'm fine. Third bag of medication,... still got this blessed Oxygen on."

Just as both young Dukes were nearly dozing off again, a far too chipper nurse came in with two breakfast trays. "Here we are, ... a nice big breakfast."

Luke opened his eyes to see a tray that only equaled a breakfast from the Hazzard jail. There was an unrecognizable meat with something that looked like gravy over it on a piece of bread with what looked like applesauce, juice and milk.

Jeb looked at his tray that was the twin of Luke's. He prompty replaced the cover over what the hospital called food.

Luke shot him a look and frowned, "Cuz, if you are planning, ... to sleep in your own bed tonight, ... you will want to rethink that." Luke said as he picked up his own fork and tried to decide figure out what was the safest part of the meal adding, "They will monitor what you eat, ... or don't eat."

Jeb had mostly stirred and messed his meal up to hopefully appear that he had eaten at least some of the food before pushing the bedside table away.

Luke had stomached a few bites, drank his milk and juice which he figured that they couldn't have messed up too badly in the sealed cartons before he pushed his own tray back. He soon grew bored of watching Jeb flip the television repeatedly through the channels and closed his eyes.

Jeb had found little on the television to keep him occupied. Trying to move within the large cast had been futile. Jeb was currently looking out the window on the upper floor of the hospital at nothing but an occasional bird passing by when he heard someone ease in the door. Figuring it was the nurse picking up the breakfast trays Jeb paid little attention.

Trying to be quiet and not disturb whoever was his friends room mate, Blake eased in the hospital room, "Duke?"

Luke looked up to see a man about his age who was a fairly good looking guy with dirty blond hair about six feet tall that he didn't recognize. He looked over at the other Duke in the room.

Jeb had turned to see the familiar face of his buddy Blake standing there nervously. "Blake?" Jeb said a bit confused to see his friend there at the hospital.

"Did you really think that I could have just headed back to Fulton County without coming to check on the man responsible for getting my only real competition eliminated for the rest of the season? And to tell you that you sure missed a heck of a party last night." Blake said.

"Competition eliminated? What are you talking about?" Jeb asked.

Blake went on to explain with a grin, "Well, the officials seen what ever little stunt that fool pulled behind me that ended up with you here. They also remembered that run in that you had with Kinnison earlier. I guess they figured you'd be out the rest of the season, so they also suspended Kinnison until next season."

Jeb wasn't sure whether to laugh or grimace because he knew when they met on the track again that whatever had happened on the track this weekend was far from being over.

Blake pulled out an envelope, "There was also the matter of bringing you these."

Jeb looked in the envelope at the checks inside for the two races that he had placed in. "Are these what I think they are?"

Blake said with a grin, "Yeah, it's your winnings for the races that you placed in and the way I figure it, ... if you are still interested, ..."

Jeb cut off Blake's sentence as he fumbled one handed with the envelope and checks, "Go get me an ink pen."

Blake was almost surprised at his younger friend's comment, "You mean after all this, ..." he motioned toward Jeb's large cast, "you still, ..."

Jeb nodded, "I figure if I made it through that crash, I can deal with my mother about the bike. Go get that pen. I figure that most of this is yours."

Luke wasn't sure that Jeb didn't have some sort of head injury after that crash, "Jeb?"

"It will be alright, Luke." Jeb said as Blake came back with a pen, "Just one thing, ... you see I'm not gonna be riding anytime soon, ..." Jeb signed the back of the checks, "So how about you take MY bike back to Atlanta with you for safe keeping from my mother. At least until I'm able to tangle with her about it and can come get it."

"Sure thing, but are you alright?" Blake said with concern for the first time really taking in the cast the Jeb wore as he tucked the checks in his pocket and handed Jeb a few bills as change. It looked to him like the injuries to his friend had to be pretty bad and he knew how close he'd himself came from ending up in similar situations.

Jeb gave him a true Duke grin, "From what I get, it looks worse than it is, but that hasn't really helped much."

"That's good to know. Now there is only one other thing left to do." Blake pulled out a Sharpie pen and moved the hospital gown off Jeb's injured shoulder so that he could write in bold lettering, _'You still have a way to go to catch me! I'm still #1! Blake'_

Jeb read the message as he wrote it, "I'll get you next season. Count on it." Jeb said with a laugh.

"Yeah, well you just take care. You know where YOUR bike is when you are ready." Blake extended his hand to Jeb's free one they did their best to do a one handed version of their fancy hand shake. "Later, Duke."

"Yeah later." Jeb replied.

0101010101010101

With nurses in and out since the wee hours of the morning checking Luke's vitals and having him doing breathing exercises, **Jeb had been going out of his mind in his room and had been all too eager to leave it when the nurse suggested that he could go to the common room that had been set up for the adolescents in the hospital. In the room set up for the kids there were areas for both young kids but an area set up for teens as well. Jeb saw a T.V. set up along with various games. But it wasn't that caught Jeb's attention when the nurse wheeled him in; it was the fact that he saw the same girl that had given him the cold shoulder at the race was sitting in one of the chairs reading a big thick text book. When she looked up at the sound of the nurse setting him up in front of the T.V. Jeb gave her a smile only to have her look away much in the same way she had done at the track.**

**Jeb couldn't believe it! She'd dismissed him not once but TWICE! And this time Jeb figured that he deserved at least a little sympathy. What with being trussed up in a cast that covered nearly his whole upper body! What was worse, Doc Greenwood put him in this blasted thing when he admitted that if it'd been anyone else he might not have but he'd figured that with Jeb being a Duke; the only way to make sure that he healed properly was to immobilize him. Then his Uncle Jesse and his mother AGREED with the doctor that worked part-time at the hospital but worked out of Tranquil the rest of the time.**

**Not being one to let a girl just dismiss him like that Jeb decided that he wasn't about to go back to his room without finding out what this girl's problem was. After all, there wasn't anything else to do right now. One of the other teens was watching cartoons on the T.V.**

**"Hey," Jeb said as he tried to get the girls attention. When she looked back up Jeb gave her his most devastating smile. "My name's Jeb." When the girl just looked back down at her book Jeb could feel his dander get up just a bit. "You know, when folks introduce themselves most people do the same."**

**Kira sighed as she closed her book, "And most people would take the hint that I don't want to talk."**

**"So she speaks after all." Jeb gave the red headed girl with short hair a lopsided grin. "I saw you out at the race didn't I?"**

**"Probably. I was there yesterday. I see your stunt out there worked out real well for you. You know, if you can't ride a motorcycle then you probably shouldn't be out there trying to race them."**

**Jeb's eyes grew wide. Did she just insult his riding? "Who says that I can't ride?"**

**"Oh, you're right; you can ride, you just can't take a curve on that bike worth a hill of beans." Kira opened her book back up hoping that the blond would take the hint and leave her alone. She didn't like speaking with a lot of folks (she didn't trust them) and after talking to him it was clear that he was better to look at than to actually talk with.**

**"I didn't see you out there racin'. Do you ride?"**

**"Well, no but-"**

**"Then don't be tellin' me how to do it," Jeb's jaw set and he started to grind his teeth. "If you can't ride then what do you know about racin'. I'd like to see YOU do better."**

**Kira saw the challenge in the boy's eyes and she'd just LOVE to tell him that she planned to meet that challenge. Of course first she had to make sure that she didn't have to have anymore extended stays here at the hospital. But as soon as she was well again…Well, Ben HAD been asking her if she wanted a car to drive around in after she'd turned sixteen this past spring. Maybe she'll ask for a motorcycle instead.**

**"I'll keep that in mind. Of course I can't do any worse of a job at it than you did yesterday. That third race looked like amateur hour out there on the track."**

**"Hey now! That is not fair! Anyone can have a bad day! It's not my fault that Kinnison cut out in front of me!" Jeb felt his blood boil just a bit at the idea of someone insulting his ability on the bike. After all, no one else in is division had placed as well as he had in their first event. When it came to riding or driving; there weren't no one better than a Duke!**

**"Sounds like you're making excuses." Kira snickered as she kept reading her book. She didn't know why but she could tell that the fact that she didn't even look back up at Jeb got to him; which made it even more fun to act like she was ignoring him.**

**"I am not," Jeb kept working his jaw as he saw that the yet to be named girl started to LAUGH at him under her breath.**

**"I'm just pointing out some facts that you clearly aren't aware of since YOU DON'T RACE!"**

**"Well for the rest of the season it looks like you won't be neither," Kira looked up to see Jeb's face as she pointed it out. "And by the sound of your mother, I doubt that she'll be letting you get on a bike again anytime soon." **Kira happened to have been near enough in the crowded waiting room to hear some of Pauline's rants the night before.

**Jeb wanted to argue with that but he knew that his mother likely would kill him if she knew that he'd arranged it with Blake to buy the bike off of him. His mother thought that he had just borrowed it for the race. When Blake came to sign his cast Jeb asked Blake to keep the bike out at his place in Atlanta for now; he had no idea how after this accident he was going to explain to his parents that the bike was his. He'd hoped that after the race it be obvious just how good he was on a bike. He hadn't figured on doing the exact opposite instead. Jeb had shown his mother just how dangerous riding on a motorcycle can be.**

**Over at the door Ben shook his head as he watched the teens bicker with one another. So much for thinking that it wouldn't take long for Kira to pick up on flirting. Here she was picking a fight with the very same boy that had caught her eye the day before. He'll have to explain to her that making a dig at a boy's ability to ride on a motorcycle isn't a good way to start off a friendship or anything else with him. There was one thing about the small argument with the blond haired boy though; Ben saw a glimmer of a fight in Kira's eyes that he had to admit was good to see. When he first met the girl she'd all but given in to the cancer that coursed through her system. Seeing her willing to fight, even this strange boy, was something to be thankful for; though Ben figured that he just might want to rescue that same boy right now since he didn't look like he'd be able to fend for himself right now. As he walked up he could hear that the two were still bickering over the race that had caused the boy to be admitted into the hospital the day before.**

**"Like I said before, you've never raced so you don't know what you are talkin' about. Come back when you've even been on a bike!"**

**"You don't think I'll do it do you? I'll bet you that come next season I'll have learned how to ride better than you ever have!"**

**"Talk is cheap. I'm willing to bet that you'll never even set foot on a track again." Jeb started to look around for a nurse to wheel him back to his room. Why should he stay in here just to have this girl make fun of him for wrecking his bike? "I might have had a bad race but I think I still proved that I was the best rider out there in my division. When it comes to racin', ain't NO ONE better than a Duke."**

**"You'll eat those words-"**

**"That's enough Kira." Ben walked over to the teens to end the argument. "I see you're already starting to make friends." Ben had to suppress a chuckle as both teens shot him a look that clearly said that neither was interested in being friends right now. Kira rolled her eyes and shrugged before turning back to her text book.**

**Jeb was still hot and didn't want to drop the argument but it was clear that after just a few words from the man that must be her father the girl just dismissed him again. At least now he had a name for her though.**

**"Mr. Kyle?" A nurse came walking up to the three in the T.V. area of the room. "We're ready for Kira now."**

**Ben nodded as he went around to the back of Kira's wheel chair and started to wheel her towards the door. But not before she looked up at Jeb and gave him a look that he took to mean that she fully intended to follow through on her words. Maybe he won't be surprised to see Kira Kyle out on the track after all in another year or two. Though he doubted that she'd be half as good as him.**

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Vector426 - Thanks for reading and reviewing. As for the racing, I was trying to make it a 2 day event that would encompass several types of racing because racing was such a big part of the DOH. I also had to have motorcycle races for Jebb to be in, so I figured I'd show drag racing, round track and overland racing. This is based on Duke Fest in Bristol, VA when the Spring Nationals were going on at the drag strip (they even dragged the General Lee on the drag strip), Duke Fest in the valley below, and the parade of the General Lee's on the NASCAR track.

I got to tell you that your timing is spot on with you encouragement! Yes, you are right about there being several Firsts through out the story. I hadn't planned it that way in the beginning, but once a couple happened I've leaned toward making it a story about more that just Luke's first time. Which really it started as Jesse's first time getting a call from the jail in the middle of the night from one of his 'kids', not a sibling. Since before starting this chapter I have been fighting derailment, but like Luke and the rest of the Dukes I'm pretty hard headed. But it is reviews like yours that make it worth while and tell me that little voice inside me is right about how MY story should be written. If I wrote it how someone else sees it, then it would be just me typing their story. Thanks, again for the encouragement, it goes a long way.

I hope the few additions clear up any that a couple readers mentioned.


	81. Monday Dawns

Chapter 81

Dawn at the Duke farm in Placid County found the Duke family doing it's best to have a normal morning dispite half the family not there, Pauline having house guests and Jesse not being under his own roof. Jesse had insisted on fixing breakfast for the small group while Daisy and Pauline fed the twin infants. Pauline never let anyone in her kitchen, but had learned long ago not to buck Jesse when he insisted on cooking. Bo had been sent out to help Pauline's brother, Carl with the morning chores.

Once the group had finished their own breakfast, Pauline said, "We should be heading out to the hospital soon."

Jesse knew it was going to be a really long day if Pauline was starting this already, "Pauline, Dr. Greenwood said that there was no point in being there before this afternoon. If it will make you feel better, I'll call and check on the boys." The truth was that Jesse was as worried about Luke and Jeb as Pauline was, but he was trying to keep her on an even keel.

Pauline had wanted to argue with Jesse about going to the hospital, but gave in when he offered to call and check on the boys.

Jesse had called and spoke with one of the on coming nurses on Luke and Jeb's floor, he had been told that they had rested through out the night and that Luke was currently undergoing some breathing exercises. She also advised that Jeb had been taken down to the day room that had been set up for the adolescents in the hospital. She assured the man that both his nephews were getting the best of care and should both be released once the doctor came in this afternoon if no further complications arose.

Jesse thanked the nurse, then began to tell Pauline what he'd learned as he hung up the phone.

Pauline, Daisy and Bo breathed a sigh of relief at hearing the boys were doing better.

"I'm sure glad they are doing alright, now once Karen gets home today and the boys get released things can start getting back to normal." Daisy said as she put the last of the washed dishes in the drainer.

The briefest look was exchanged between Jesse and Pauline. Neither wanted to admit to rest of the family that Karen's release from jail later today had momentarily slipped both their minds in their concern for Luke and Jeb.

Jesse asked, "What time will she be released?"

Pauline replied, "4 o'clock. Jesse the boys?"

Jesse put his hand up to stop Pauline. "Do you have a number for Dr. Greenwood?"

"Yes, yes of course I do. Why?" Pauline asked.

Jesse rubbed the beard on his chin, "Because I know you won't want to stay behind to get Karen and let me go get the boys." One look at Pauline's face told Jesse he was right, no matter how practical the solution would have been. "I also figure that the boys might just need a bit of help getting to the cars, so I'd better be there."

Bo and Daisy exchanged looks. They both knew that neither Pauline nor Jesse would be stopped from going to get the boys.

Bo volunteered, "I could go pick up Karen."

Daisy added, "And I could watch the twins."

Pauline wasn't hearing of it, "There is no way that I'm leaving that girl here after just being released from jail without an adult being here. Why there is no tellin' what sorts of trouble she could get into before I got back home."

Jesse shrugged his shoulders and sent both his kids a silent look of thanks for having offered to help out. Since they couldn't be at two places a couple hours apart at the same time and Jesse knew that there was no way to get Karen released anytime sooner than four o'clock, so he figured that the only thing to do was to call Dr. Greenwood and explain the time conflict to him. He hoped that he could get the boys released a bit earlier so that they would be back in time to pick up Karen at four. "I'll call Doctor Greenwood in a bit and see about getting the boys released sooner than four o'clock."

Jesse was also doing the math about his drive home. Even if they left Tranquil at four o'clock it would still put them back in Hazzard late. He also knew that there was no way Pauline would let him leave with the 'kids' without eating dinner which would make it even later getting home. "Pauline I've been thinking. How would you like to have a house full of guests tonight?"

Pauline replied without even knowing what Jesse was thinking, "Jesse you know my doors are always open to company."

"Well, then I'll just make a couple calls and try to get the farm taken care of until tomorrow morning." Jesse said.

Bo and Daisy were more than a bit surprised. Trying to get Uncle Jesse off their farm for more than a few hours was always difficult at best, now here he was suggesting spending a second night away from home.

"Now you two go out to the track and pick up Pauline's car so we'll have something we can all fit into when the time comes to go get the boys." Jesse said.

"Yes, Sir." Bo and Daisy answered in unison and headed out the door.

Jesse Duke didn't want to be a burden on anyone, so he didn't call the friend he'd called before that took care of the farm, but instead rang the Davenport farm.

Luther answered the phone as he poured his first cup of coffee, "Hazzard Wrecker." By getting a call so early in the morning, Luther figured it was a business call so he answered the phone that way.

"Luther, this is Jesse Duke." Jesse said.

Luther thought it was a bit unusual for Jesse to be calling at this hour, "Jesse, ... what can I do for you?"

Jesse began, "Well you know those boys of mine raced this weekend. Jeb was hurt at the track and Luke took sick while we were at the hospital..."

"Oh, well I hope they are alright." Luther said in concern for his friend's nephews.

Jesse gave his friend a brief update, "Well I've talked to the hospital in Atlanta already this morning and they say that they are both doing better, but it looks like they won't be released until later today. I'm over at John's now. I had the farm taken care of up until this morning, but by the time we'd get on the road tonight it would put us home really late. I just don't think it would be good for Luke to travel that sort of distance all in one trip. I'd like to spend another night here if you could get Cooter to take care of the chores at the farm tonight and in the morning I'd be much obliged."

Luther replied even though he hadn't heard Cooter come in last night, "Sure. I'll get him or one of the boys to take care of everything out there." He opened the curtain on the kitchen door and didn't see Cooter's car. He frowned wondering where that boy of his could be. "Don't you worry none about your place, if they can't take care of it, I'll do it myself."

"Well, now Luther I surely appreciate it and am beholdin' to you." Jesse replied.

"Nonsense. How many times have you all had to cover at the garage or on the wrecker when I've had to be out of town. I owe you and the boys several times over. I just want you to take care of those boys and tell Luke he had better get better fast. I need him on that wrecker." Luther said.

Jesse smiled, "I'll do it. Thanks again."

Luther replied, "Not a problem. Ya'll be careful coming home."

"We will." Jesse replied.

Luther hung up the phone and opened the back door. He stepped out on the porch. There was no sign of Cooter's car. He shrugged his shoulders and figured that something could have happened and Cooter had left the car in town so he made his way up to Cooter's room. Opening the door he found Cooter's bed empty. Luther grumbled to himself but figured that Cooter may have gotten back into town late and had just stayed at the garage last night. He headed off to get ready for a day of work at the garage.

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Cooter had indeed set his alarm clock for two hours before he normally would have if he'd been waking up alone in a motel a short distance from his job. He tried not to wake Beverly as he tried to slide out from under her leg and arm that were wrapped tightly around him.

"Not so fast there Honey." Beverly said as she held on tighter.

"I'm just going to the bathroom. I don't have to leave for awhile yet." Cooter said with a smile.

Beverly smiled up at him, "Good."

Cooter couldn't help but to smile to himself as he headed to the bathroom. He didn't regret for one second missing the race that his friends went to over the weekend. In fact they should all be home now and for that matter so should he and Beverly. He wasn't real sure what his father's reaction to him not being home this morning would be, but he could just about guess what his new father-in-law's reaction would be when he found his daughter not home as expected.

Cooter shaved and washed up, then went back to the main room to finish dressing and get a lunch together from the groceries they had bought yesterday and stored in a cooler. He first put on a pot of coffee, then began to get the bread and lunch meat out.

"Cooter, Honey, what are you doing?" Beverly asked from the bed where she had almost fallen back to sleep before he came back in the room.

"Just fixing some coffee and a lunch." Cooter replied.

Beverly tossed the covers back quickly exposing her nude body, "Oh but no you don't. I'm supposed to do that."

Cooter suddenly forgot anything about fixing his lunch as his wife shooed him away from where he had started his lunch preparation. Cooter sat down on the bed to put his pants and boots on then as he stood and tried to zip his pants he found that his body had other ideas. He readjusted his underwear enough to get his pants to zip as he reached for a shirt of his, "Darlin' you may want to put this on."

"Oh, you don't like what you see here?" Beverly teased.

Cooter let out a slight groan, "Yes, Darlin' I like what I see there, but I have to be at work for my first day on the job soon."

Beverly checked the clock, "You have plenty of time."

The next thing Cooter knew he was back out of his pants and boots and back in the bed.

Beverly wrapped her legs tighter around her husband.

Cooter thought as he eagerly found her mouth with his, 'The only thing I want to do right now is just enjoy our time together.'

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The coffee cart rumbled it's way down the hall just as the cell lights came on in John's cell. He had been awake from habit for sometime now but hadn't moved from his bunk until now. Today was Monday, and his daughter should be back home where she belonged sometime today. Just knowing that fact gave John more relief than if his own cell door had been opened for him to go home. It was a fact that he had never gotten used to this side of the bars, nor was he ever happy about being here on this side of the bars, but just knowing his daughter was in a cell upstairs bothered John to no end.

John made his way to the table to get his coffee, followed by Dean. John had hit Danny's bunk on his way to the table. Danny still hadn't gotten used to getting up at such an early hour, but rolled out of his bunk as he was expected to do by Karen's father.

All the others gathered around except for Green, whom no one would miss at the breakfast table. Danny McCoy took one look at the breakfast tray of biscuits, bacon, eggs and hot cereal. He took a piece of bacon and put it on a biscuit then pushed his tray forward. "Have at it fellas." He said as he took a bite of biscuit and bacon.

Several of the others gave him a questioning look.

Danny explained, "I'm out of here at four today. Help yourselves."

John's eyes met those of the young man's, "I not only expect, but DEMAND, that you be a gentleman around my daughter until I get home. No excuses."

Danny nearly chocked on his bite of bacon biscuit as he swallowed hard, "Yes, Sir."

Dean Carter looked from Danny McCoy to John Duke. Part of him wouldn't want to be in the young mans shoes for anything in this world, but another part of him would have given anything in this world to have taken the man's daughter and lived to tell about it. But, who was he kidding, by the time he got out of this cell she'd likely be already married to the fool across the table from him.

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Upstairs at the jail, the cell lights came on brightly awaking the girls inside. Most of the girls shielded their eyes from the glare, as Sharon and Patty went to the door to get their coffee. After the door was closed the rest of the girls began to get up and head either to the table or the restroom in preparation for the breakfast that should be at the door in the next few minutes.

Karen had gone to the restroom and even though she knew it was too early to know anything yet, every day with out her cycle made her more and more concerned about the possibility of being pregnant. She was still hearing the Judge's warnings about the guys in her head. Karen had at one time actually hoped that Danny liked her, now she couldn't help but wonder if he had only been out to get the one thing that he got and not look back.

When Karen got to the table, the conversation was about what each of the girls planned to do once they got home later today. Jackie said rather frankly, "I plan to meet Frank and find somewhere to go that the police won't show up this time."

Sharon followed her thought pattern. "Yeah, well, ... take a roll in the hay for me too." She bit her lip as she thought about just how long it would be before she would have another chance at such a night.

Patty agreed, "And me too!"

Charlene looked at Jackie, "Surely you aren't planning to go out again with Frank like we did the other night? You remember that we'll all still be on probation for the next six months. Heaven forbid you all get caught again for Indecent Exposure."

"That's why I don't plan on getting caught again while I'm indecently exposed." Jackie replied. She too had heard the Judge's warning about staying out of trouble for the next six months, but still had no intention of not dating Frank or going six months with being with him. Though she fully understood that getting caught meant being without him for a year. It was a chance she would have to take.

Karen looked surprised and reminded, "Jackie if you get caught again ANY time in the next six months you could be here for a year."

"Well, we haven't gotten caught for over a year now, until the other night. Seems like the chances are pretty good to me about not getting caught." Jackie said trying to be logical.

Peggy had been one to like to get out, drink and have a 'good' time, but even she wasn't so sure about doing any of that anytime real soon. She looked around the closed in cell then back to Jackie, "Are you really sure that you want to risk coming back here for a whole year?"

Jackie thought about it before she answered, "The way I see it is Frank isn't likely to go without for six months and I really don't want him going elsewhere."

"You really want him to stick around after he got you into all this?" Charlene asked.

Hearing Charlene's question Karen almost agreed.

"Frank didn't get me into this anymore than any of the other guys got you all here. We're all here because we let ourselves get into the situation. We can't blame them for trying to get us to do something when it was us who decided to go with them to the lake, drink the beer and shed our clothes." Jackie said.

The conversation ended there as each of the girls began to think about what their friend had said and how very right she was. Blaming the guys for their situation might make things a bit easier to deal with but the truth was that they had each been responsible for their own actions.

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At the Hibbs household, Beverly's father walked into the dining room to see the table as usual set for three. He took his seat, opened the morning paper to the stock page and took a drink of orange juice.

A few minutes later his wife joined him dressed in her gown, robe, fuzzy slippers, and hair curlers. She took the society page of the paper and sipped her juice as the housekeeper poured both her and her husbands coffee.

Several minutes later the breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, toast and all the jellies and marmalades, was put on the table. As Mr. Hibbs put down his paper, he noticed his daughter hadn't come down for breakfast. He frowned. She must have gotten in late from her friend's. In fact it was so late that he hadn't heard her come in.

His wife saw his frustration at their daughter being late for breakfast. She turned toward the housekeeper and said, "Can you please go wake Beverly and tell her breakfast is getting cold?"

"Yes Ma'am." The housekeeper replied and headed up to the teen's room. She knocked, there was no reply. She knocked again louder, still there was no reply. Trying the door, it was unlocked. She opened the door to find the teens bed still made. Returning to the dining room, she advised, "Ma'am, Miss Beverly isn't home yet."

"What?" Mr. Hibbs asked.

"Sir, her bed hasn't been slept in and her room is empty." The housekeeper nervously replied.

Mrs. Hibbs held up her hand to stop her husband's rant, "After breakfast I'll call her friend's house. She likely just got side tracked and stayed another night. You know how teenaged girls can be."

Mr. Hibbs merely grunted at his wife. He wasn't sure why, but something just didn't feel right this morning.

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Cooter had managed to take care of his husbandly duties, get cleaned up, grab a lunch and thermos and was on his way to the garage. He stopped in the bakery and picked up a dozen doughnuts from habit and was sitting outside the garage when the owner pulled up at ten minutes to seven.

Wayne had purposely showed up a few minutes early to see if his new employee would come rushing into the garage right at seven. He was pleasantly surprised to see the new man here and waiting on him a whole ten minutes early.

As Wayne got out of the truck and unlocked the station, Cooter asked, "Care for a doughnut? I have coffee too."

Wayne took his coffee mug from it's usual place by the coffee pot that was usually on, "Don't mind if I do. I'll put us on another pot for later."

While the coffee brewed, the two men ate a doughnut and drank a cup of coffee before getting down to the business at hand.

After Cooter left the motel room, Beverly tried to go back to bed, but she kept thinking of what her parents would be thinking right about now. Surely they had discovered her not at home by now. She only hoped that her friend, Jenny told the story just as they had rehearsed when (not if) she was called.

Beverly felt the butterflies in her stomach just at the thought of her parents finding her not at home like she was expected to be. Then she looked at her left hand and spotted the small diamond with it's matching gold wedding band. Just seeing the rings on her left hand made everything feel so very right as she tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach and push back thoughts of her parents with thoughts of her husband and her new life as Mrs. Cooter Davenport.

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Luther Davenport pulled up outside his garage and didn't see Cooter's car. He frowned. If the car was inside the bay it was taking up room he needed this morning. If it wasn't in the bay, that meant Cooter most likely wasn't here. If he wasn't at home or here, and he wasn't with the Dukes then where in world could that boy of his have gotten too? The answers that his mind was coming up with weren't at all helpful: hospital, jail or maybe worse yet, shacked up somewhere with a gal. Luther knew his son had a wild streak a mile wide but if he didn't watch, that wild streak was sure to get him in some deep trouble.

Luther opened up the garage to find the bay empty. He checked the upstairs. It too was empty. He turned on his base station and began calling for Cooter. The only response he got was from his nephew LB, "I ain't seen him since he was supposed to be going to that out of town race."

Luther frowned as he thought, _'Out of the mouths of babes...Supposed to have gone to the out of town race... If he didn't go to that race, then where would he go?'_ He finally said, "LB get yourself over here to this garage as soon as you can."

LB frowned at the tone his uncle used, "Umm, ... yeah, ... Ok, ... Alright, I'll be there in a few minutes." Luther's tone implied that he or Cooter was in deep trouble. The trouble was, LB had no idea what they had done to get into that much trouble.

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Jeb was still fit to be tied when the nurse wheeled him back into the room he shared with his older cousin Luke. "I can't believe the nerve of some people! You have one bad race in an entire weekend and they want to judge you when they've never even sat on a bike!"

The antibiotics and breathing exercises were helping Luke, but he was still rather short winded, "What, ... are you, ... talking about?"

Jeb was more than ready to express his irritation, "You remember that chick that gave me the cold shoulder at the track yesterday? Well, she is here. Here I am all trussed up like a Christmas turkey, she admitted she's never even been on a bike and she had the NERVE to tell me how to ride! She had the NERVE to tell me I looked like an amateur! Can you believe that!?"

Luke grinned widely and said knowingly, "So you like her, huh?"

"What?! Are you out of your mind? Like her? He- NO!" Jeb exclaimed. "If she was the last girl on Earth I wouldn't be caught dead with her."

Luke just nodded and let Jeb continue to blow off steam about his encounter with the girl from the track.


	82. Free at Last!

Chapter 82

In Hazzard County a chain of events had started at the Hibbs breakfast table. After finding Beverly not at home, Beverly's mother had indeed called Beverly's friend that she was supposed have stayed with on Saturday night. Beverly had given Jenny some information about what her and Cooter planned to do, but hadn't given enough details that if the girl decided to tell her parents that it would be enough to be able to find Beverly anytime soon.

Jenny had indeed out right lied to Beverly's mother and said that Beverly had stayed both Saturday and Sunday nights, but had left just a little while before hand and was headed home. Jenny felt guilty as she lied to her friend's mother, but wanted to give Beverly as much time as she could to get settled into married life before having to deal with her parents.

In town, Cooter Davenport's father, Luther was impatiently waiting on his nephew, LB to arrive at the garage. He could only hope that LB knew more about where Cooter could be than he did at the moment.

When LB arrived he could tell by the look on his Uncle's face that the man wasn't happy as he walked into the garage area.

Luther was just opening the cash register where he'd left Cooter's pay envelope Friday evening. Until now he hadn't had a reason to look under the change tray to see if Cooter had picked up the money. Lifting the change tray out he saw the familiar envelope with Cooter's name on it, which was empty, so Cooter had been here since closing on Friday. Turning to LB, Luther asked, "Have you seen or heard from Cooter since Friday evening?"

LB sighed. He hated being put on the spot like that especially when he did have some information that he knew his Uncle wouldn't like at all. "I passed him really late Friday night. We both stopped and talked a few minutes. He said he'd be heading out early Saturday morning for the race."

Luther frowned, "What was he doing out that late Friday night if he was leaving early Saturday morning?"

Now this is the part that LB had hoped to skip having to tell. "Well, ... Uncle Luther, ... " he stalled, "Cooter was just coming back into the County from hauling a load of shine up to Tennessee for Boss Hogg." LB managed to take a couple steps backwards away from his uncle as he spoke.

"He did WHAT?" Luther exclaimed as his face turned a shade of purple, "That boy knows better than to be out there hauling shine, ESPECIALLY for JD Hogg. And to go all the way up to Tennessee, is he crazy?" Luther frowned again and added before LB could speak, "Wait, .. don't answer that! Da-!" He pounded the work bench causing his coffee to slosh out of its cup.

LB dutifully obeyed his uncle and didn't answer.

Luther continued, "LB you said earlier that you hadn't seen Cooter 'since he was supposed to be going to that out of town race'. Is there any reason that you can think of that he wouldn't have gone to the race?"

"N-huh, I can't say that I can." LB said.

Luther decided to dig deeper, "Alright, ... I know for a fact he's not with the Dukes, he's not at home and he's not here. Would you have any idea where he could be?"

LB frowned, "Well, there is lots of places that he could be Uncle Luther, ... the post office, the bank, the lake, ..."

"Never mind all that LB! If that danged fool didn't go to the race like he said he was, and he didn't come home like he said he was on Sunday, ... this being Monday morning do you have any ideas where he might have gotten off to?" Luther tried to be more specific.

"Oh." LB said as he began to think.

Luther also added, "OR do you have any idea who he might be with?"

LB looked up. That question was a might easier, "The only people he hangs out with are the Dukes, BB and me. He's not with BB, I just left him. Other than that, I've only seen him with that one girl, Beverly, ... Hibbs, I think is her last name."

Luther nodded. He knew the girl LB was talking about, he'd seen his son with her a couple of times. Changing the subject, Luther told LB of Luke being sick and Jeb being hurt and that Jesse needed the farm chores taken care of this evening and in the morning.

LB agreed to take care of the chores for Jesse and headed out to leave Luther to try to figure out where his wayward son was at.

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Beverly had rinsed the coffee pot out, straightened up where she and Cooter had hurried to fix his lunch, straightened up the bed as best she could, put the dirty towels on the sink and headed out of the motel room. The first place she went was to the Courthouse to get the official marriage license. She would feel much better having the official marriage license with her if and when her father found out where they were. She had heard stories about her father and if they were only half true he wasn't a man to cross. She had done so by not only continuing to see Cooter but by marrying him. The fact that she was not yet eighteen would only add fuel to the fire.

She found out that the Justice of the Peace had just dropped off his copy of the license and it would take a little while for it to be formally recorded before they could issue the official copy of the license. Beverly opted to wait. Nearly an hour later she had the official document and was headed back to the motel.

By the time she returned to their room the maid had cleaned the room and made the bed. Beverly left the door open and opened the curtains. She took turns looking at her rings and the marriage license still finding it hard to believe that she had actually defied her father and married Cooter. She still felt the butterflies turning in her stomach just at the thought of facing her father.

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As four o'clock got nearer at the Tri Counties jail, the eight young men and women were anxiously awaiting the time that they would be released from jail. They had all missed a weekend of parties, racing and various festivals where they would all have much rather been. Larry, Roy, Frank and Danny had all been split up in different cells only seeing each other briefly when they were outside for a short time each day. The girls were a bit luckier since they had all been put in a cell together and at least got to talk to each other all weekend.

When the call was made for outdoor recreation John saw that Danny and several of the others heading toward the door. Now, he had not been much for going outside dressed in the black and white stripes that he had worn for the last week, but he felt the need to go outside today. He got up from the table and followed the younger men out to the main hallway where they were made to get against the wall and patted down then escorted up the stairs and out onto the caged in cat walk that lead to the small recreation yard. John walked out onto the yard (if you could call it that when it was nothing more than asphalt with a twenty foot fence around it) and took a seat on one of the benches.

John watched as Danny met up with his friends who all would be released in an hour or so. He didn't have to hear the conversation to know what was being said, ... each young man was discussing their plans for later today and possibly tonight after they were released. For now John opted to just enjoy a bit of sun and fresh air as he watched the young men talk for awhile.

Seeing that they would soon be called back inside, John got up from his seat on the bench and walked over to the young men, "Gentlemen." John addressed the four young men.

From across the yard, Dean was watching Karen's father as he addressed the younger men. Something was up, he just wasn't real sure what. The older man hadn't went out but maybe one other time in the week that he'd been here.

The four young men turned to see John Duke standing behind them with his hand on Danny's shoulder.

"Now, I know that you all will be out of here in a little while, ... **AND**, ... so will my daughter." John paused to let that sink into the young men's thoughts. "I may not be walking out of here with you fellas, but trust me I will be keeping tabs on **my girl**." Again John paused. "Danny as you know, you are still not off the hook with me yet, ... so I trust that a repeat of the other night won't be happening."

To everyone else John's hand may have looked like it rested easily and friendly on the young man's shoulder, ... Danny knew better as he felt the strong grip of John's hand as he waited for an answer. The best answer he could give at the moment, considering just a moment before he was telling how he'd like another shot at Duke's sister, was to squeak out a, "Right."

John squeezed harder, "What was that?"

Danny tried not to show it as he gritted his teeth against the strong squeeze of John's hand as he replied, "Sir. Right, Sir." Only now did John let loose of the tight grip of the muscle in Danny's shoulder.

"That's better, son. You're learning. Just think, ... about how you'll see my way of thinking in fifty or so years if your actions cause you to be my very first son-in-law." John said smuggly as he walked away from the young men.

Danny had beads of sweat popping out on his forehead as he swallowed hard before he was able to return to the previous conversation.

Roy looked over at his buddy, "Man alive, I am sure glad Peggy's father don't know me."

Danny muttered as he wiped the sweat off his forehead, "Yeah, well, ... Karen's father didn't know me until that second night we took her home, either."

The other three men looked at him with just a bit of sympathy.

Dean had watched the entire exchange. He knew right about now, Danny felt very unlucky. Dean couldn't help but think just how lucky the man was, ... first he'd bedded Duke's sister and secondly he was still lucky her father had let him live, but the fool was fool enough to brag about it. Knowing what he knew now, Dean wished he'd given Duke's sister a 'try' himself. He knew if he had, that he wouldn't have been standing here in these blamed strips for the better part of a year. No there would have been no way he'd let himself be taken away from a honey like that for that long. He readjusted his underwear as he thought about just how long a year it was going to be as images of Karen Duke ran through his mind causing him even more difficulties with his current clothing. Nothing worse than being a very excited man in a jail where all women were very out of reach. Dean gritted his teeth more and hoped to be able to get to the one shower first when they went back inside. He had never been a fan of cold showers before, but he couldn't remember the last hot shower he'd taken before going to court.

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The closer four o'clock got the more fidgety each of the girls became. Two because they knew what the other four was thinking about doing once they got out of here and that they couldn't do for well over a year now.

Karen and Charlene were the only two trying to convince themselves that they should not allow themselves to get into the same situation with Danny and Larry again, but with the conversation going on around them and the memories of the other night both were becoming a bit hot and bothered.

Karen in fact felt like she had ants in her pants as the guard opened to door and said, "Ladies just put your mattresses out here in the hall and we'll take you down to get processed out."

After brief good byes and promises to write to Sharon and Patty, each eagerly put their mattresses and linen out in the hallway and followed the guard down to where they could change back into their street clothes.

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It was a few minutes before four when Jesse arrived at the Tri-Counties jail. He, Pauline and the twins had taken Pauline's car and were followed by Bo and Daisy in Luke's car. Jesse insisted that the others remain in the cars while he went up to check on Karen's release. He was told that it would be a few minutes yet. Jesse had noticed that it was visiting hours so he requested a visit with John.

Jesse took his place on his side of the glass as he waited for John to be brought to the other side of the glass.

A few minutes later John stepped inside the visitation booth and the guard locked the door behind him. John was a bit surprised to see his oldest brother on the other side of the booth, "Jesse?" He frowned, "What's wrong?"

Jesse sighed. His brother knew him well, maybe too well. "John, Pauline and the girls are outside. We're here to pick up Karen."

John nodded. Nothing Jesse had said was real news to him, "Go on."

"We're on our way over to the hospital in Atlanta, ..." Jesse paused to let that much information sink in. "The races at the track yesterday, ... It seems Bo wasn't the only Duke racing, ... Jeb, ..."

John had just barely heard his son's name before he joined in the one sided conversation, "Jeb? Hospital? Jesse what's wrong?" John asked full of concern for his only son.

Jesse held up his hand to try to stop John's questions, "Jeb should be fine in a few weeks." Jesse wanted to let his brother know that his son would be alright before he told him of the motorcycle wreck. "It seems he borrowed a motorcycle and entered the races. From what Bo and Luke said he took a pretty bad spill. Doctor Greenwood was at the hospital and treated him when he was brought in. Other than some scrapes and bruises, he has a busted left shoulder and a broken left arm."

John sighed loudly, "He's alright?"

Jesse replied, "His pride will likely bother him more than his injuries after a couple days."

"Pauline?" John asked.

Jesse took a minute before replying, "John, ... you know how she can be when her kids are hurt."

"That's what I'm afraid of." John said honestly.

Jesse said, "I've done the best I can to keep her calm and focused on other things. I came over last night and stayed with her and the kids at your place. After we go pick up Jeb and Luke, I plan to stay tonight too before heading back. I just don't think that Luke needs that long of a ride tonight."

"Luke? What's wrong with Luke?" John asked concerned for his oldest nephew.

Jesse began to explain, "You know Luke had some broken ribs from a fight the last time you was over. Well, the dern fool has managed to develop pneumonia from being out at the race track in the night air then being in the air conditioning at the hospital with Jeb. So they both were roommates at the hospital last night."

"Great. All this has to happen when I'm stuck here and you and Pauline have to deal with those two." John said.

"Now don't you worry about them boys none, John. They will both be fine even if I have to hog tie them until they get better." Jesse said just a bit annoyed at Luke for making himself sicker than he had to be.

John hated to think about this, but had to ask now that he knew Jeb would be alright, "How much of a fit did Pauline through about Jeb racing a motorcycle?"

Jesse frowned, "Well, I think Jeb has just gotten the side winds since she was so worried about him, but I'm sure he'll hear his fair share about it while he mends."

"Yeah, him and me both most likely." John added. "Ya know she never liked me driving Traveler even when she thought that I was just out racin' him let alone being out there with you." John was careful not to mention that he and Jesse had been running moonshine when Pauline thought that he had been out racing Traveler for extra cash. After all he was in jail and you just never knew who was listening.

"Yeah I know she has always given you a hard way to go over Traveler. I'll do what I can to run Jeb some interference but I'll be heading out in the morning. Looks like Jeb's summer at my place is going to get cut short."

John frowned, "Why's that?"

"John, Pauline didn't want Jeb to stay once she learned Luke was in jail for that fight. Do you really think she's going to let him go back with me after 'I let' him get hurt?" Jesse asked.

"Oh for Pete's sake. You let that boy of mine get hurt about as much as you 'let me fall' into the pond that warm April day that caused me to be in bed with the flu for a week when we went fishin' as kids." John reminded Jesse of the time they had went fishing as kids and John had insisted on going swimming. Jesse had insisted that the water was still too cold for swimming even though the day was warm. No amount of talking had stopped John from finding a perfect place to 'accidentally' fall into the water and once in he might as well swim awhile. The result had been him stuck in bed with the flu and missing a week of school.

"I told you that the water was too cold for swimming that early in the season." Jesse said.

John nodded, "Yes, you did and I listened about as much as that boy of mine does when he sits his mind to something."

Jesse and John had to laugh at the Duke stubbornness that they had both been victims of once or twice and even now John suffering from the consequences of his own stubbornness and pride. "For what it's worth, if you don't have your hands too full with the others, as far as I'm concerned Jeb can go back with you. I know he'll be taken care of just fine there."

Jesse was glad that his brother felt that way but knew how Pauline would be, "Well, you know I'd take care of him just like I did you all and like I'd do for my kids, but I just don't see Pauline letting him out of her sight just yet."

"Well, if that is the case once I get out of here I'll see to it that he gets to come back down for a spell before school starts up again if that's alright with you?" John said.

"You know that my door is always open and I can always add another potato to the stew any time you all want to come over." Jesse said.

Both brothers heard the key being put in the lock on the other side of the door behind John. John said, "Thanks Jesse for the invite and letting me know what was going on with my boy, not to mention being here to pick up Karen. It means alot to me. Tell Pauline I'll call tonight late so that will give you all time to get home from Atlanta."

"I'll do it. Take care John." Jesse said.

John's eyes met Jesse's for a long moment before he turned to go with the officer. He finally replied, "I will."

In that moment, Jesse saw his youngest brother much younger than he was now, being taken away to spend his first night in jail after being arrested on several driving charges. It had cost John a night in jail before bail was set the next morning but it had kept Jesse one step ahead of the law with a trunk and back seat full of shine. They had managed to get the load through but the look in John's eyes that night had hurt Jesse because he knew if either should have been behind bars that night it should have been him not his baby brother. Jesse finally walked out of the visitation booth and was told that he could wait for Karen out front.

Karen had been told before being let out the door of the jail that someone was waiting on her out front. She wasn't really sure who to expect with her father locked up somewhere in the same jail that she was being released from. She knew her mother would have the twins and even with Daisy out at the farm with her mother, Karen didn't see her mother letting Daisy pick her up.

When Karen and her girl friends walked outside a few minutes ahead of the guys, Karen was surprised to see her Uncle Jesse standing a short distance from the doorway. "Uncle Jesse?"

Jesse smiled at his niece, "Karen."

Karen walked over to her Uncle and saw him reach out to hug her. Karen couldn't help herself as she wrapped her arms tightly around her Dad's brother. Jesse wrapped his arms protectively around her. She wasn't sure where the tears came from or why, but in her Uncle's arms she felt as safe as she had always in her father's arms. With everything that had been going on with her and her family lately Karen couldn't stop the tears from coming out and soaking the front of her Uncle's bibbed overalls.

Jesse pulled out a handkerchief, "Here Honey."

"Thanks Uncle Jesse, I don't know why, ..." Karen began to try to explain her outburst of tears.

"Never mind that, just get yourself straightened up before we get to the car where your Mother is at." Jesse said.

"Mother? Is here?" Karen asked surprised.

"Yes, she is in the car with the girls. Bo and Daisy are here too." Jesse replied then added before Karen could ask why everyone was there, "We're all on our way to the hospital in Atlanta."

Karen cut Jesse's statement off, "Hospital why?"

Jesse tried his best to not scare Karen any worse than she already was, "Jeb will be fine, but he was in an accident yesterday at the track and Luke is there with him."

"What sort of accident?" Karen asked hoping that she didn't already know.

Jesse began to explain, "It seems Jeb borrowed a motorcycle and entered a couple of races out at the track this weekend. According to Bo and Luke he took a pretty good spill. It looks like he's gonna be layed up awhile with a busted shoulder and broken arm but he should be alright soon enough."

Karen nodded but didn't give away that she knew Jeb had been riding bikes for sometime now. "So why did Luke stay with him?"

Jesse explained as they walked to the car, "Luke's still having problems with his ribs. It seems the night air at the track didn't help him anymore than the air conditioning at the hospital did. He's got a nasty case of pneumonia, so he was Jeb's roommate last night."

"I've been here three days and it seems like three years." Karen said just before they were close enough for her mother to have heard her remark.

Jesse said once they were close to where both cars were parked, "You can ride with Bo and Daisy, Darlin'."

Karen turned toward Luke's car when she heard her Mother, "Karen Ann Duke. Now if you ride with them I expect you all to be right behind us when we pull in at the hospital. You are to go no where else. Is that understood by all three of you?"

Karen replied, "Yes, Mother."

Bo and Daisy replied, "Yes, Ma'am."

Karen made it into the safety of Luke's car and Bo pulled out behind his Uncle, "Just where in the he- did she think I'd be going? I'm as worried about Jeb and Luke as anyone else!" Karen fumed. "Are they alright?"

Bo replied, "Luke wasn't doing so good last night. He was having trouble breathing and seemed to be hurting. By the time we seen Jeb, I think they had given him something for the pain but he looks like he's about half dressed for Halloween as a mummy."

"Bo!" Daisy scolded. "That's not funny! They put Jeb in a cast on his left arm and shoulder."

Karen didn't see where that would be so bad as she only expected to find him in a cast that covered his arm and shoulder.

The three cousins talked as they rode behind Pauline's car. Bo knew better than to pass his Uncle even though he would have liked to have driven a bit faster.

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At the jail, the guys were finally let out the door a few minutes after the girls. Frank, Larry and Roy all headed toward the girls standing on the parking lot. Danny frowned not seeing Karen.

Frank and Roy took Jackie and Peggy in their arms for a long passionate kiss. Larry stepped near Charlene only to see her step back, "My folks are parked right over there."

Larry had wanted to see what it was like to make it with a preacher's daughter, well now he seen just who she was when her father was near by. She was not the girl he was with at the lake. "Can I call you later? maybe we can go out again sometime."

Charlene said, "It may be better if I call you when they aren't around, if I live that long. Look I really got to go." She turned to Jackie and Peggy, "I'll talk to you all later." As she opened the car door her Mother was the first to greet her.

"You'll talk to them over my dead body! Don't you think you have embarrassed this family enough this last couple of weeks? You'll be spending the rest of your summer as a proper young lady." Mrs. Murphy said.

Her father had yet to say anything but she was sure that when he did there would be many Bible verses quoted to point out the era of her ways.

The other two girls parents picked them up, leaving Frank, Roy, Danny and Larry standing alone in the parking lot of Tri-Counties jail which was pretty much out by itself. Just when they figured they would have to walk back to town Roy's brother pulled up in Roy's truck. All the guys climbed in and they headed off toward town.

Roy's brother said after being on the road a few minutes, "Hey fellas that cooler back there is stocked."

Soon all five guy had a cold beer including Roy who was glad to be behind the wheel of his truck as he took a turn off down a side road that would lead up to the lake.

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Doctor Greenwood walked into the Luke and Jeb's room. He was pretty much relieved to find Luke asleep and appearing to be breathing better. The nurse had already told him that Jeb was down the hallway at the common room.

Doctor Greenwood figured to examine Luke before the nurse got back with Jeb. He woke Luke up and began his examination.

When the Doctor was finished, Luke asked, "I thought, ... we'd be out, ... of here by now." He paused to catch his breath, "It's nearly five, ... what happened, ... to four?"

"Well, I spoke to your Uncle earlier and he explained that four o'clock was time conflict with something else he and Jeb's mother had to do. He actually wanted to pick you two up earlier, but I wanted you to get another round of medication before being released. It should be around six before they get here." Doctor Greenwood said.

"Six!? Ah, Man! Doc come on. It's bad enough you have me trussed up like this but to have to stay here until six!" Jeb complained and voiced the objections that Luke was still to short of breath to do for himself.

Doctor Greenwood explained to his regular patient, "I could have been ready to let you go about four, but your Uncle called trying to get you released sooner. I wanted Luke to get another round of medication so he said they would be her around six."

Jeb looked at the clock on the wall. It wasn't even five yet. He stood up from the wheelchair the nurses had insisted that he be in and took a seat on the bed. "Can we get this over with so can get dressed in something other than this gown?"

Luke couldn't help but wonder where Jeb's mouth was coming from. He knew Pauline would have been mortified if she'd heard Jeb say half of what he'd said and how he said it to the family Doctor. Of course, he was sure that his cousin wasn't at all happy about his current situation spending most of the rest of his summer in a cast that covered most of his body from the waist up.

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By late afternoon, Beverly would have plenty of time to have gotten home even if she hadn't left Jenny's until after her mother called. Her mother checked the clock again for the hundredth time. Her husband would be home from work soon and she still had no idea why Beverly wasn't home. She knew it wouldn't be good if her daughter didn't get home before her father arrived.

The phone rang nearly sending Mrs. Hibbs through the ceiling of the kitchen. "Hibb's residence." she answered.

"Can I speak to Beverly?" Debbie asked.

Mrs. Hibbs replied, "She's not at home right now. Who may I ask is calling?"

"This is Debbie. I was just calling to see how the races and her trip to Jenny's went." Debbie said.

"I'll tell her that you called when she gets home." Mrs. Hibbs replied.

"Thank you, Ma'am." Debbie said and hung up.

Mrs. Hibbs now had no idea what to think. If Jenny said she had been there and Debbie knew she was going there, she could only conclude that her daughter had both intended to go and had went to Jenny's and the races. She considered heading out to see if her daughter had some sort of car trouble on her way home from Jenny's, but it was late enough now that she had finish the dinner she had started because her husband was due home in the next few minutes as her housekeeper only worked a half day on Mondays.

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After Doctor Greenwood left the boys room to get their discharge papers ready, both boys were more than happy to actually be able to get dressed in something other than a short gown that tied in the back that left more of their body showing than either wanted. Luke reached in the bag and took out his jeans managing to get them on with minimal difficulty. Then he looked at the IV still in his arm as well as the many cords and cables still hooked to his chest. There was no way he'd be able to get his shirt on until some if not all of them were removed.

Jeb also took the bag with his cloths in it and dug around one handed to find his jeans and shirt that he'd worn under his racing suit. It took some effort but Jeb had managed to get his jeans on one handed, but the trouble was he didn't have a clue as to how he could get them snapped or zipped. It wasn't that he hadn't tried, even laying back on the bed he tried to zip the jeans together enough to be able to snap them. After awhile of trying, Jeb seen that it just wasn't going to happen. Jeb swore out loud.

Luke turned to see what Jeb's problem was. At least he wasn't hooked up to cords, cables and hoses like Luke was. "What is it?"

Jeb struggled once more to try to zip his jeans one handed without them being snapped. The jeans were far to tight of a fit for him to be able to accomplish the task. He sighed and swore again, "I managed to get the jeans on, but with only one hand I can't get them zipped or snapped."

Luke knew that he had helped all his cousins get dressed from time to time when they were younger. He'd also helped tie a tie or straightened a collar in recent years, but this was a bit different. He came around his bed and said with a bit of a blush, "I'll give you a hand, ... but if anyone ever asks, ... I'll deny it to, ... the bitter end."

Jeb was doing his own amount of blushing too, "Like I'd really tell anyone!"

Both cousins worked quickly to get Jeb's jeans suitable to leave the hospital. Jeb then looked at his T-shirt. "Ya know I really don't see a point in even trying to get this shirt on. It was tight to begin with so I'm not even sure it will go over this cast."

"Wouldn't worry about it. ... With that thing, ... on ya it's like, ... having a shirt on ya, ... all the time." Luke said as best he could with the pain and his breathing still not back to normal.

Jeb agreed with Luke. He found himself standing at the door of their room wondering where the girl he'd seen at the track and earlier that day was and why she was here.

Luke had found a position on the bed that sit him up much like he would be in a recliner at home. He looked at the bag of medication dripping ever so slowly into his arm, then at the clock. He figured that Doctor Greenwood had pretty much scheduled the medication to run out just about the time that his uncle would arrive.

Soon dinner arrived, if you could call it that. It was a piece of processed turkey, something that was supposed to be dressing and some slime that was likely supposed to be gravy, a bit of lettuce, a half of a pear and milk and coffee for Luke and a small can of Coke for Jeb.

Jeb was hungry but not for this stuff. He opened the Coke and took a sip.

Luke wasn't all that hungry but especially not for this stuff, but he wanted out of here so he took a bit of the lettuce that had a splash of Italian dressing on it.

Both boys were picking through the dinner and trying their best to make it look as if they had eating more than they had as Jesse, Pauline, Bo and Daisy arrived with the twins.

The nurse arrived right behind the boys relatives. Luke was the first to ask, "So are, ... we out of here?"

The nurse smiled warmly at the young man, "I was just coming to tell you that I've notified Doctor Greenwood that your family is here. He'll be up in a few minutes to talk to you all."

Luke looked at Bo, "Eat this, ... or get rid of it, ... or something."

Bo reached out for Luke's tray, planning to dump it in the near by toilet.

Jesse read both boys minds, "At! Stop that Bo!"

Bo froze.

Luke swore to himself.

Jesse said, "The doctor is going to want to know how much they ate and drank. And as much as I want them both at home, if it's not what's best for them then they will be staying her until it is what's best for them."

Luke wasn't at all happy about his uncle's determination, but he had some of his own too as he took a rather large bite of turkey, gravy and dressing. He tried hard to chew it without tasting it before he forced himself to swallow it.

Jeb followed Luke's lead as he took large bite off his tray and nearly gagged as he tried to swallow it.

After another couple of bites each, both boys managed to rinse down the food with the milk that had come in a sealed container and was about the only thing that tasted near normal.

Doctor Greenwood came in and checked out the boys dinner trays. They had eaten much more than he had actually expected seeing the contents of the trays. "Jesse, Pauline if I could ask you all to wait outside in the hall for just a couple minutes I'll give the boys a once over and go sign their release papers."

Jesse, Pauline and the others made their way to the hallway.

Doctor Greenwood asked Jeb if he was having any pain.

Jeb replied, "I'm sore, ... all over, ... but no where more than any other place."

Greenwood nodded. He had expected as much. "Luke, how about you?"

Luke tried to choose his words carefully. He wasn't well by any means but he didn't want to stay here another night. "I'm sore, ... most likely from coughing. ... Nothing really major, ... I've hurt far worse, ... since I've been hurt."

Doctor Greenwood figured as much. He had also talked to Doctor Applebee and knew the Hazzard doctor planned to put Luke to bed in the clinic a couple of days once he got back to Hazzard. He opened the door for Pauline, Jesse and the others to come back in. Looking at Jesse Duke he asked, "Do you plan to drive to Hazzard tonight?"

Jesse replied, "Since it will be so late by the time we get there, I had planned on staying tonight in Placid County then driving home in the morning."

"Good. Very good. I'll order a couple medications to hold the boys over until you all can get a prescription filled tomorrow. I'll send them up with the release forms. Oh, and Mr. Duke don't forget that Doctor Applebee will be expecting you at his office tomorrow. In fact I'll call him and let him in on your plans and up date him on Luke's progress." Doctor Greenwood advised.

Luke groaned as the man in the white coat left the room. "Ah, man, ... this is just great."

Jeb glared at him, "Would you rather trade places?"

Luke frowned at his cousin but promptly held his tongue with his aunt so close by.

After getting three shots each, the Duke boys were released and on their way by wheel chair to the front of the hospital.

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Thanks for reading. Please review!


	83. Finally, Home!

Sorry for the delay in posting. My computer convinced me to restore it back to out of the box settings which was a really bad idea. I've spent the past week or so trying to get it updated and the needed programs back on it! I hope you enjoy and the next chapter shouldn't take nearly as long to get done.

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Chapter 83

Cooter had changed the water pump on the car that had come into the shop while he was talking to Wayne about a job. He had also done three brake jobs, two oil changes, a tune up, fixed a flat and rotated the car's tires before he'd had time to look up.

Wayne came back in from pumping a tank of gasoline and saw Cooter with a sandwich in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. "Have you got to the brake job on that Ford over there yet?"

"Yes, Sir. That was done about nine this morning." Cooter replied.

Wayne smiled. "I'll call Mr. Thompson now."

"What else do you have waiting?" Cooter asked as he took the last bite of his sandwich.

Wayne looked around at the cars on his lot. The young man had gotten him caught up with all the routine jobs that were there. He looked over at the old Chevy pickup truck that Mr. Wilson used on his farm to pull his cattle haulers. "Well, there is Mr. Wilson's Chevy there. It keeps breaking the belts going to the water pump and causes it to over heat. I'm pretty sure that it's the harmonic balancer but I've been putting off getting into it because I don't have a wheel puller."

Cooter gave Wayne his award winning smile, "Hold on just a second." He walked out to the trunk of his car and got out one of the tool boxes that had some of his specialty tools in them. Cooter popped the lid open and reached in, "You mean one of these things?"

Wayne seen the wheel puller in Cooter's hand, and beyond Cooter's hand still in the tool box were several other tools that Wayne had been putting off purchasing for himself. Just what he could see was a couple different torque wrenches, a case containing a mic meter, a set of allen wrenches, a tap and dye set among the other tools that were in the tool box. Wayne knew that just what he saw in the young man's tool box would cost a pretty penny. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Well, it looks like Mr. Wilson will be able to get his cattle up to Nashville for the State Fair next month after all."

"Well, I'll do my best to make sure them there cows get to go to the fair." Cooter replied as he went to get the truck into the garage bay.

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Out front of the hospital it was clear that neither Luke with his taped ribs or Jeb with his casted arm and shoulder would be able to ride in the back seat of either vehicle. Pauline got in the back with the twins so that Jeb could have the front passenger seat in his mother's car. Daisy and Karen both took the back seat of Luke's car so that Luke could have the passenger side of his car.

The Dukes had barely left Atlanta's limits when Jeb and Luke drifted off into a medication induced sleep. Pauline looked at her son with concern, "Jesse, I've never known that boy of mine to fall asleep in the middle of the day since he was a baby and he didn't do that on a real regular basis then either. He was always too afraid of missing something."

Jesse looked from Jeb to his mother, "Pauline those shots that Doctor Greenwood ordered them were likely to make them rest for most of the night."

Pauline nodded. "I really hadn't thought much about that Jesse. I'm sure you are right. I just don't know what could have gotten into that boy to make him think that he could race a motorcycle. As far as I know he's never even been around them."

Jesse thought back to a conversation that he and Jeb had earlier in the summer that he had fully intended to continue with the young man, but with so much going on Jesse had put it on a back burner. Now it seemed like it had sit there on the back burner a bit too long. "Pauline are you sure about that?"

"What? Yes, I'm sure that all Jeb's friends are good boys. None of them wear those horrible leather jackets or would even think about having one of those awful tattoos." Pauline tried to assure Jesse.

Jesse resisted shaking his head at Pauline's generalization about everyone that road a motorcycle. He also debated telling Pauline that Jeb had been racing motorcycles before this incident but decided to talk to Jeb first before leaving tomorrow.

In the Ford that followed behind, Luke wasn't the only Duke cousin to have fallen asleep. Karen's eyes had been getting heavy every since they left the hospital. She had tried to keep up her end of the conversation while just wanting to get home and be able to take a nice bubble bath and sleep in her own bed.

Daisy said, "Won't it be great to have all us cousins together tonight? We can stay up late and talk. Maybe there will be a scary movie on or we could head out to the barn, ..."

Bo had already noticed that Luke had drifted off several minutes ago. When Karen offered no reply to Daisy's suggestions, Bo checked his rear view mirror to see Karen's eyes also closed. "Daisy, I don't see much of that happening if these two can't make it back to Placid without falling asleep, besides the night air is what made Luke worse."

Daisy frowned a bit, "Yeah, but there has got to be something we can do together."

Bo nodded, "Yeah, we'll think of something."

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Cooter looked up from the old Chevy pickup after he'd gotten the belt back on. "Well, here goes nothing."

Wayne looked up as Cooter went around to the drivers seat and started the pickup. Wayne couldn't believe that the young man had not only gotten the vehicle torn down before quitting time but now had the truck running.

Cooter wiped his hands as he let the truck run and grabbed a cup of coffee.

Wayne said, "Son, I want you to know that for a first day on the job, you've really impressed me."

It was at that exact moment that a lady with four kids pulled into the garage. The vehicle that she drove was missing, bucking and couching. The lady looked totally distressed, "Can you Gentlemen help me? All of a sudden this thing started sounding 'funny'."

Wayne looked at Cooter, who replied, "I'll take a look Ma'am." All it took was for him to lift the hood to see and know that her spark plug wires had seen better days. Cooter said, "Well, Ma'am I think you just need some new spark plug wires and if the plugs haven't been changed in awhile it may be a good idea to change them too."

The lady got her four children out of the vehicle and went with Wayne to talk about repairs verses money and time. When they came out of the office Wayne advised Cooter to change the wires and clean the plugs that were in it unless they were really bad.

Cooter found a set of wires that would work on that particular vehicle and started changing out the wires and cleaning the spark plugs as he went. When he was done, Cooter went to the driver's seat and started the vehicle. It sounded much better than when the lady brought it into the garage. "There you are Ma'am. If I were you I'd bring it back into a garage in two weeks or a month and have those plugs changed. It will be worth the cost to you on the gas mileage you'll save. I cleaned them and re-gapped them as best I could to get you home today."

The lady smiled, "Thanks so much. I was on my way to my sisters and my husband didn't come with me this trip. I'll be sure to let him know that the spark plugs need changed as soon as possible." She paid Wayne and was off on her way.

Cooter wiped his hands as his eyes went to the clock on the wall. It was already nearing seven o'clock and Wayne didn't seem like he was leaving anytime soon.

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Mr. Hibbs saw as he pulled up his driveway that his Dodge that Beverly had taken to her friends was not at home. He frowned wondering where her mother had let her go after she had been gone since Saturday morning. The thought that his daughter had not returned home during the day did not enter the man's mind. He picked up the newspaper from the porch as he went inside the house. "I'm home Dear."

"In here." Mrs. Hibbs said from where she was putting dinner on the table.

Mr. Hibbs gave his wife of twenty years a light peck on the cheek and took his place at the table. He opened the paper to read the headlines as Mrs. Hibbs poured his coffee then hers. After glancing at the headlines, Mr. Hibbs took a sip of coffee and only now realized the table was set for two instead of three. "So what was Beverly's reason for not being home last night and where did you let her go after being gone all weekend?"

Mrs. Hibbs had hoped to have gotten dinner finished before Beverly came up in conversation. "Well, Honey, I actually almost went looking for her earlier, but I'd already started dinner. I called Jenny earlier and she said that Beverly had stayed with her both Saturday and Sunday night and had left just prior to my calling. Now, I actually figured that Beverly may have still been there and would leave after I called. When I realized she'd had plenty of time to get here I'd already started dinner. I don't know if she's had car trouble or what."

Mr. Hibbs at this point was more aggravated at his daughter for being irresponsible and worrying her mother than concerned for her safety. "The road to Jenny's is well traveled, so if she were broke down I'm sure we would have gotten a call by now. Let's finish dinner then I'll go see if I can find her."

Mrs. Hibbs didn't have to hear what her husband was thinking to know that if Beverly was still at Jenny's she was sure to be in a lot of trouble when she got home.

Dinner began and ended without Beverly arriving home. Mr. Hibbs finished his coffee, wiped his mouth on his napkin and slowly slide his chair back from the table. He said as he stood up. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Mrs. Hibbs saw in her husband's face that driving to Placid County was not what he'd planned on doing when he got home from work today.

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The Dukes pulled up to Pauline and John's home in Placid, Jesse looked over at Jeb who was still asleep as he stopped the car. As Bo pulled in behind his Uncle, he said, "Luke. Hey Luke, we're here."

Luke never even stirred which was more than unusual. He always heard Bo no matter how deeply he was sleeping.

Karen had managed to wake up as soon as the car came to a stop.

Bo got out of the car and flipped his seat forward for Daisy and Karen to get out of the backseat. Still Luke never so much as noticed the car had stopped.

Daisy and Karen went to help get the twins inside. At this point all Karen wanted to do was get in a nice hot bubble bath in the privacy of her home's bathroom without five other girls being in the same room just outside the shower.

Jesse had gotten Jeb awake, barely and was helping him get out of the car after such a long ride while being in a medicated slumber. Jeb was now not only sore but stiff from riding in one position all the way home from the hospital.

Bo had gone around to Luke's side of the Torinto and finally got him out of the car and moving toward the house.

Once inside Pauline had started issuing 'orders' to the girls about helping get something together for such a late supper.

Jesse asked Jeb and Luke if they were going to stay in the living room or did they want to head on toward the bedroom since they were both a bit unsteady due to the medication.

Luke looked at Jeb who was looking at him before answering his Uncle. It was not in either boys nature to give into being sick or hurt, but as much as they both would have liked to have stayed in the living room with their cousins, both knew it wasn't an option tonight. Luke finally voiced what he knew Jeb was thinking, he said simply, "Bedroom."

That caught Bo, Daisy and Karen's attention. As the three turned to toward Luke they also seen Jeb agreeing with him by nodding his head 'yes'.

Jeb added, "Ya'll can come in there with us. I ain't planning to go to sleep or nothing but whatever Doc gave me is kicking me in the tail."

Now it was Luke's turn to agree, "Me too."

With Luke and Jeb settled in Jeb's room, Jesse went back to the kitchen to see what he could do to help with a very late supper. Pauline had a very unhappy looking Karen helping out with dinner as Daisy and Bo had been delegated to feed the twins. Jesse knew both from experience, as well as dealing with Luke when he'd gotten home from jail that Karen was likely wanting to grab a shower before eating. "Karen, Honey, I've got this now that the boys are settled if there is anything you'd like to do before dinner." Jesse promptly gave Pauline 'a look' before she could say anything.

Karen replied eagerly, "I'd really like a bath before I eat."

Jesse replied, "Run along and take your time." From what Jesse seen being prepared it would keep or be just as good a bit cold. "We'll hold your dinner for when you are ready to eat."

Pauline's eyes got wide. It was unheard of in both hers and Jesse's homes to be late for a meal.

Jesse gave Pauline another look that assured her that he'd explain later.

Karen was surprised to say the least that she had been given permission by her Uncle to be late for dinner and he'd also stopped her mother from over ruling him. "Thanks Uncle Jesse, I shouldn't be long." Karen said and meant what she said, when she said it.

Jesse Duke knew that his niece once in the privacy of the bathroom was likely to get wrapped up in enjoying the peace and solitude one had in their own bathroom.

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NARRATOR: "Speaking of peace and solitude, ... there is one young bride who has had far too much today."

Beverly stood looking out the window across the motel parking lot watching for Cooter. Part of her was concerned her father had found him and done 'something' to her new husband, while the more reasonable side of her merely worried that Cooter had gotten hurt at work and no one knew about her or maybe he'd had second thoughts and went back home. It was after eight o'clock and nothing that came into her mind was good or reasonable.

After Cooter finished with the plug wires on the lady's car who had the four children with her, another car came in with a flat tire needing plugged. Wayne was so happy to have efficient help and be making money on more than just gas that he couldn't help taking yet another job. The fact that his new employee was a newly married man had been missed by Wayne. It was nearly eight o'clock before Wayne turned off the pumps and put up the closed sign in the window, "It's been a good day today Cooter. I look forward to seeing you bright and early in the morning."

Cooter tried to give his boss a smile as he replied, "I'll be here." He said, though the 'early' part of the conversation along with the late hour tonight wasn't adding up to be a good combination.

Beverly had paced the room several times then returned to look out the window. She'd love to be able to call someone, anyone, but who? She didn't even remember the name of the garage that Cooter had gotten the job at. She was nearly ready to start walking toward the garage, but wasn't sure she could bare it if she found out that Cooter had never been there today and that she was all alone here in another state. Just as she was ready to flee the silence of the lonely motel room, she heard the key being placed in the door knob, then Cooter stepped inside. Beverly was overwhelmed with emotion as her husband closed out the rest of the world behind the door.

Having been at the end of her rope for several hours, Beverly broke down and flung herself at her husband, crying in relief, anger and frustration.

Cooter took his wife into his tired arms and held her as she cried though he was totally confused as to why she was crying because he was 'home'. "Bev, ... shhhh, ... what is it? Please tell me what's wrong."

Sniffing and gasping in near hysterics, Beverly sobbed as she replied, "I, ... thought you, ... wasn't coming back! That you'd left me."

Cooter frowned even more confused, "Not coming back? Left you? Why would you think something like that?"

Still sobbing, "It's so late. I was so worried and scared..." Beverly's voice trailed off.

Cooter hushed his wife as he wiped her tears away, "Honey, ... I'm so sorry. We were just busy and every time I thought I was finished Wayne found something else for me to do or another vehicle came in needing urgent repairs... Oh God, I'm sorry." He said holding his wife tighter, he could actually feel her shaking.

Beverly held on tight and cried now in relief and because she now felt very silly. "It's just, ... that I was expecting, ... you here about five or even six, ... but it's after eight o'clock she said without even looking toward a clock."

Cooter glanced at the clock and seen it was nearly eight thirty so for nearly two and a half hours his wife had let her imagination put her through he- because he was working late. For the next several minutes Cooter found himself saying things to Beverly between her sobs that he'd never planned to say to any girl, let alone to a wife, "It won't happen again. I'll talk to Wayne. I'll call you with the phone number of the station. You can even take me to work and bring the car back here."

His last words triggered something in Beverly. She looked up at her husband, sniffed back a tear and asked, "Really?" she sniffed again, "You'd really let me drive your car?"

Cooter wasn't sure where the words came from while he was still processing the question in his mind he heard his mouth reply, "Our car and yes of course you can drive it."

Beverly suddenly seemed to feel more secure than she had in nearly fourteen hours, "I'm sorry, really Honey I guess I was just being silly, but you were so late."

Cooter hushed her with a kiss, "I should have called or something. In fact I'll go get the number from the desk so I can call you and I'll see if there is any place open this late for us to get something to eat."

"I'll go with you." Beverly replied, still not ready to let Cooter out of her sight so soon.

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Mr. Hibbs had driven into town and circled the square, there was no sign of his daughter or the car she was using. He headed out of town toward Placid County and her friend's home. A few miles outside of town, Mr. Hibbs was coming up on the local honky tonk and decided to at least circle the parking lot to see if Beverly was there. He knew she had been there against his wishes at least a few times with that young man from the local garage who had to be a bit older than his Beverly. Circling the parking lot he didn't see his car, but he did see two vehicles that got his attention. The local wrecker that the young man in question normally drove and the Sheriff's car. Mr. Hibbs had forbid Beverly to be out with young man and if he found her here with him tonight it wouldn't be good for her or the young man. Steam was already building as Mr. Hibbs parked his car.

Once inside the dimly lite bar, Mr. Hibbs had to stop to let his eyes adjust to the lighting. He didn't see his daughter or the young man he figured had the wrecker. What he did see was the Sheriff at the bar drinking a cup of coffee talking with the garage owner, who likely was driving the wrecker tonight.

A waitress came up to Mr. Hibbs, "What can I get you tonight, Sugar?"

"I'm just looking for someone." Mr. Hibbs said. Just the thought of drinking anything out of a glass from this place gave him the willies.

"If you change your mind, just let me know." The young girl replied.

He nodded his thanks and proceeded over to the garage owner that he couldn't rightly remember the man's name but knew him by sight, "Excuse me, Mr. ,... ummm, ..."

"Davenport." Luther supplied his name for Mr. Hibbs, who owned and operated one of the mills outside of town.

Mr. Hibbs began, "Yes, Mr. Davenport. I'm looking for your son..."

Luther cut the man off in mid sentence. "Yeah, well, me too. So if you find him first, ..."

Beverly's father didn't let the man continue his rant, "Just how long have you been looking for him?"

Luther took a sip of his beer and replied, "He should have been home last night. I haven't seen him all day."

Mr. Hibbs asked, "I don't suppose he was supposed to have been at some sort of race over in Placid Saturday and Sunday?"

Luther frowned there was that word again 'supposed'. For some reason he wasn't liking Mr. Hibb's thought pattern, "As a matter of fact he told me he was going to Placid County this weekend." Luther was careful not to say that Cooter had went there, because for some reason he wasn't at all sure his son had done what he said he was going to do.

Mr. Hibbs turned to include the Sheriff in his side of the conversation, "Well, Sheriff I think it's time to get you involved in this."

Luther frowned again. He wasn't sure where Cooter was or what he was doing but he truly hoped that Mr. Hibbs wasn't right in whatever he was thinking.

"My daughter was supposed to go to a friends in Placid County to watch those races. She was supposed to be home late last night. She hasn't shown up yet." Mr. Hibbs then added for the dimmed witted Sheriff, "Mr. Davenport confirmed that his son was supposed to be at those races also and return last night. He also hasn't been seen today by his father."

Rosco was hearing what the man had to say, but couldn't think of much he could do about it since both the young people were over eighteen.

Before Rosco could voice his thoughts, Mr. Hibbs added, "My Beverly won't be eighteen for nearly six months."

Those words sent a quiver up Luther's spine as he wondered 'How could he be so stupid?'

"Ohh, ... ohh, ... oht, ... That's a naughty, naughty, ... Luther, Cooter knows better, ..." Rosco stopped his thoughts there, he wasn't at all sure what Cooter had done or even if he was with Mr. Hibb's daughter.

Mr. Hibbs added, "I have also forbid Beverly to see Mr. Davenport's son."

Rosco had seen things like this happen several times in his career, but thankfully hadn't seen anything like this with this generation of 'kids' until now. He reached for his notebook, "Alright, let me get the information down."

For the next hour both father's answered all Rosco's questions and then some. Rosco had both Cooter and Beverly's birth dates, the description of Cooter's car, the description of the car Beverly was driving, the phone number and directions to Beverly's friend Jenny's in Placid County, as well as anything else he deemed important. Rosco then promised to get right on it as he headed to his car with a giggle or three.


	84. Licking our Wounds

See I told ya'll I'd have another chapter up soon! Enjoy and dont for get to review. This is the second chapter posted this week so don't forget to read Chapter 83 first. Thanks, Dixie!

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Chapter 84

Finally home, Karen was now able to shut out the world and even her family as she closed the bathroom door. She let out a breath that it seemed like she had been holding ever since the Trooper's headlights lite up the night at the lake. She got out a couple towels and a washcloth from the linen closet in the bathroom. As Karen got the towels ready for her when she got out of the tub, she couldn't help but take a couple extra long whifs of the line dried towels.

As Karen got undressed she had to check out her profile in the full length mirror paying close attention to her stomach. It was still too early to tell but she was looking for any changes in her body as she prayed that she wouldn't find anything different. Much to her relief, Karen found that her body was just as she had known it.

Turning on the hot water, Karen added her favorite bobble bath to the water, then smelled the bottle, finally adding and extra splash of bubbles to the running water. Karen added just enough cold water to allow her to get into the hot bubble bath without getting burnt. She sank down low in the tub and let the hot water and bubbles surround her up to her neck. Karen wasn't sure how she had went this long in her life taking such a simple pleasure for granted as she closed her eyes and enjoyed her soak in the tub.

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In Jeb's room, he and Luke were sitting opposite each other on the twin beds. "Ya know I've drank a good bit of shine more times than I care to admit around Uncle Jesse, but what ever was in those little bitty needles sure carries a heck of a punch." Luke said as he was seriously considering stretching out on the bed.

"I'm not sure it was the same thing he gave you, but Cousin I have to agree with you." Jeb replied as he looked at his own pillow that was calling him to it.

Luke knew that if he so much as leaned against the headboard he'd be out like a light as he continued to fight against the effects of the medication.

Jeb knew he'd told Karen and the others that he had no intention of going to sleep, but right now that was exactly what he was thinking about doing.

Luke looked at the jeans he had on and knew exactly how uncomfortable they would be to sleep in, but he also knew his Aunt Pauline's house rules on the matter. "Jeb what drawer is a pair of swimming trunks or pajamas or something that might fit?"

Jeb thought for a minute, "Your best bet is pajama bottoms in the second drawer down."

Luke looked at the dresser across the room. Right now it seemed like it was a really long way off as he forced himself up off the bed and went over to Jeb's dresser.

"How about tossing me a pair too while you're there?" Jeb asked.

Luke managed to get out the pajama bottoms, gave Jeb a pair and headed back to the twin bed. Neither cousin felt up to changing clothes but knew if they didn't do it now it wouldn't happen later.

About the time both boys had gotten down to their underwear there was a knock on the door, "Can I come in?"

Both Luke and Jeb nearly jumped out of their skins at hearing Pauline outside the door as they both replied, "NO!"

Pauline found their reply a bit sharp considering she was only taking them their dinner.

Jeb explained before his mother could reply, "We're changing, Mother. Give us a minute." He knew that had he not explained what was going on that his mother would have been joining them against their protests. She would have surely thought that they were up to something no good.

"Oh, I see. Alright, I'll just leave the tray on the hallway table. Luke would you be a Dear and get it when you two are done?" Pauline asked.

Luke knew how hard it had been going after the pajamas but the alternative was Pauline waiting for them to change or coming back. Luke actually didn't put it past his Aunt to insist on helping them both change so he replied, "Sure, I'll get it."

Luke may have had the use of both his hands but dressing with his ribs taped wasn't at all easy.

Jeb on the other hand only had the use of one of his hands but found putting the pajamas with the elastic waist band on had been much easier than trying to put on his jeans with the zipper and snap.

By the time they had gotten dressed both cousins felt as if they had played a couple games of football and had been on the loosing end. The last thing Luke wanted to do was to go get the tray of food, "Are you hungry?

Jeb frowned, "I guess I should be but no not really. Why?"

Luke replied, "I'm supposed to be going after that tray."

"Well, if you don't Mother will be back and likely spoon feed us every bite." Jeb knew his mother well and how she was when any of them were hurt or sick. He knew at times her caring for them was much worse than what ever ailed them.

"Say no more. I'm going." Luke managed to get up off the bed again and head for the door way on the other side of the room. As he stepped out in the hall he noticed the table with the tray on it between the twins door and the one he was standing at. At least he didn't have to go to the end of the hall, Luke thought as he made his way to the table, got the tray and managed to get it into Jeb's room and on the table between them.

Both cousins managed to eat most of the late dinner they had been brought before their Uncle Jesse came in to check on them. One look told him that his boys were fighting a loosing battle. "Boys ya'll will feel much better if you'd just give in, lay down there and go to sleep."

Luke looked to the pillow and saw how flat he'd be laying if he did as his uncle suggested, "Uncle Jesse I think I might just do that if I could get a couple more pillows so I'm not laying flat."

Jeb agreed, "Me too, but if I lay down like that I won't even be able to get up to go to the restroom."

Jesse may not have ever worn a cast like Jeb was but he had been known to have a couple broken or bruised ribs and knew Luke was right. "I'll be right back."

A few minutes later Jesse returned with additional pillows and Pauline on his heels.

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Meanwhile back in Hazzard County, one Sheriff Rosco **P**. Coltrane was on duty! He had called the Placid County Sheriff with the information that he had on Cooter Davenport and Beverly Hibbs along with the descriptions of both cars. The Sheriff advised that he had been to races this weekend and didn't see any cars matching the descriptions. He noted that he had not seen Cooter's car in any of the races. The Sheriff said that he'd keep an eye out for them and let Rosco know if he seen them.

Rosco thanked the man then called Sheriff Little over in Chickasaw county and Sheriff Loomis of Hatch**a**pee County. With all three of the surrounding counties notified, Rosco figured he'd done enough work for one night and figured the 'kids' would likely be home by in the morning so he headed off toward home.

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John Duke waited until things at the jail and inside his cell had calmed down for the night. he figured Pauline and Jesse had enough time to get to his house so he dialed the number to his house, followed the instructions on the phone, said his name and waited for Pauline to accept his call.

Pauline and Jesse had been sitting in the dining room drinking coffee and talking after they had finished their late dinner. Pauline aanswered the phone, "Duke Farm." She was greeted by the now familiar recording from the jail. Pauline accepted the call and said once the call was connected, "John David."

John hoped to lighten his wife's mood a bit as he teased, "No, it's your boyfriend calling from two cells down."

"John David! Don't be facetious!" Pauline scolded.

"Well, with Karen at home who else did you expect to get a call from, from here?" John asked.

Pauline hushed him, "Never mind all that, John."

John grimaced he'd about pushed her too far if she was cutting his name short. "I'm sorry Honey, how is Jeb, Karen and Luke?"

"Well, we just took the boys some extra pillows so they won't be laying flat. Whatever medication Doctor Greenwood gave them before they left the hospital seems to be working really well to insure that they rest whether they want to or not." Pauline said.

"Good. As stubborn as those two are they'd likely wanted all them to camp out in the barn tonight otherwise." John said knowing both Luke and Jeb.

Pauline fumed, "Over my dead body they would stay out there in the night air. That's what made Luke so sick and Doctor Greenwood gave me several warnings on things Jeb need not plan to do the rest of the summer."

"Pauline you can't just lock him in his room for the rest of the summer and molly cottle him." As much as John loved his wife, he hated the way Pauline was with the kids at times like these.

"And why not?" Pauline replied.

John knew he was on the loosing end of this battle at least until he got home. He figured to change the subject, "So how is Karen? Glad to be home?"

"I really haven't gotten a chance to talk to her since we picked her up. She road with the kids to the hospital and back home. Then no sooner than we got the girls inside she headed to the bathroom." Pauline looked at the clock, "In fact I better go check on her when I get off here. She's been in there awhile."

"Pauline let her be, I'm sure she'll be out soon or as soon as the water gets cold." John may not be planning a bubble bath when he got home but could relate to wanting a long hot shower. "Let me talk to Jesse before I run out of time."

"Alright. John David I love you." Pauline said as she motioned Jesse to the phone.

John was relieved that he was now back to being 'John David' again, replied, "I love you too, Sweetheart. And I'm sorry all this happened especially me being here."

Pauline fought the catch in her throat as she said, "Here's Jesse. Night John David." She turned away from Jesse to wipe the tear away from her cheek with her apron.

"John." Jesse took the phone from his sister-in-law.

John had heard Pauline choke up on him, "Is she alright or is she crying?"

Jesse merely relied, "Yes." to both questions.

"She's still right there." John asked.

"Don't you know it." Jesse replied.

John figured as much, "So tell me how are the kids?"

Jesse tried not to worry his younger brother, "They are alright other than the boys loosing the battle against whatever medication the doctor gave them."

John was concerned about Jeb being as stubborn as Luke, "Jesse talk to Jeb before you leave. The last thing he needs is to get back out on another bike and try to ride again before that shoulder gets better."

Jesse tried to reassure his younger brother, "I really don't think we have too worry too much at least for several weeks. It seems Doctor Greenwood knows your boy like we do. Instead of using a sling or brace to treat the injury he casted the shoulder, arm and most of Jeb's upper body to keep the shoulder immobilized."

John winced at the thought of his son's predicament especially with it being a hot summer, but knew it was the best thing for him in the long run, "I beat that went over real well with Jeb?"

"Well, the doctor didn't tell Jeb there were other treatment options before he put him in the cast, but as you can imagine Jeb isn't real happy about spending his summer like that." Jesse said.

"Oh, I can imagine." John replied.

Both brothers heard the one minute warning message.

"Thanks for everything you're doing there Jesse. I got to go soon." John said quickly.

Jesse replied, "Yes, I heard. You'd do the same for me. Take care brother."

"I will tell everyone I sent my love." John said as the phone went dead on his end of the call.

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At the motel, Cooter's luck was holding up to about normal. The clerk had told them that every where in town that served food had closed by eight during the week. Instead of driving out of town the newlyweds were content to live on love and sandwiches as they returned to their room. Beverly made sandwiches as Cooter washed his hands trying to get the grease out from under his short nails. After a meager meal, Cooter headed for a hot shower.

Beverly gave him just enough time to get under the water before she stepped in behind him, "Want me to wash your back?" She fully planned to show her husband just how much he had been missed and how worried she had been about him.

Cooter grinned mischievously even though he was tired, "You can **start** with my back."

Beverly managed to blush crimson as she asked, "Just what would you like me to finish with?"

Cooter answered only by pulling her to him for a long kiss as he wrapped his wife in his arms. Suddenly all the work he'd done today felt worth it and he didn't seem nearly as tired as he was a few minutes before.

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Karen enjoyed her soak in the tub until the water got cold, well that's what caused her to wake up. Her fingers and toes had long ago shriveled up and the bubbles had died down. Letting some of the cold water out and adding more hot, Karen finished her bath, dried and put on a robe to go down the hallway to her room.

Daisy said, "I was just about to come check on you."

Karen jump in surprise. She had forgotten all about Daisy being there and sharing her room, "Sh-!" Karen said as she closed the door behind her, "Sorry I forgot you were here."

Daisy laughed at Karen's reaction but warned, "You better not let Aunt Pauline hear you talking like that or she will surely wash your mouth out with lye soap."

"Yeah, yeah I know." Karen replied. "Hopefully she is too worried about her baby boy to be too close by."

"Karen that is mean to wish that on Jeb, and Luke by default, since they are sharing a room." Daisy said as she had been on the receiving end of Pauline's care a time or two.

"Yeah, well, I'm just happy to be home. I don't need any other attention." Karen said.

Daisy bit her lip before asking what she wanted to know, "Was it bad?"

Karen pulled out a pair of shorts, sports bra and T-shirt while considering her answer, "Yes, but oddly no."

Daisy looked at her a bit confused.

"See here is the thing we, all my friends plus two other girls were all in a room or cell together. At times it was a bit like a sleep over or pajama party if you could forget that the door was locked." Karen paused, then went on, "The windows were this thick glass that let in light but you couldn't see out. There was no bars, the door was all metal with a foot by foot window in it. Every so often you'd look up and see you was being watched by the officers."

Karen continued, "The only privacy you got was in the shower or toilet area, but you had five other girls right outside the shower curtain or partition. I think one of the worse things is that you couldn't wear your own clothes. We had clothes that looked like surgical 'greens' but were these horrible black and white stripes. The mattresses and pillows were covered in plastic like stuff so every time you moved they made noises. Then of course you couldn't just go to the refrigerator when you wanted to, your meals were brought to you. I guess I just have always taken a lot of little stuff for granted."

A knock at the door got the girls attention, "Can I come in?"

Karen rolled her eyes.

Daisy added quietly, "Like you mother coming to say goodnight."

"Sure Mom." Karen replied as she gave Daisy a look.

"I was just coming to check on you Dear, your plate is in the oven." Pauline said.

Karen replied, "I was just getting dressed I'll be right down." After getting dressed Karen said to Daisy, "Come on you can keep me company while I eat then we can go see what the guys are into."

The girls went into the kitchen to find Bo drying the last dish and putting it away. "Oh no, ya'll don't. I've just got everything put up and I want to go see how Luke and Jeb are doing. ya'll ain't gonna come in here and dirty up any more dishes."

Karen grinned at her younger cousin, "I hear mine is in the oven and I'll even wash and dry my own dish."

Everyone knew how much Karen hated to do dishes so this took both Bo and Daisy by surprise. "Really? You will?" Bo asked. "Good I'm out of here before you change your mind."

Daisy said after Bo left the room, "Wow! I guess you did miss home."

Karen gave a laugh, "Well, maybe a little."

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Bo went in Jeb's room to find both his cousins propped up in their respective beds, "Hey fellas I thought you all weren't going to bed yet when you came up here."

Luke managed, "Just got comfortable Bo."

Jeb added, "Bo there is some magazines under my bed if you get bored since neither of us may be very good company tonight."

"Really?" Bo asked eagerly already in motion to get the magazines.

Luke gave Jeb a questioning look thinking like Bo was that the magazines in question were 'girlie' magazines since they were under his bed.

Jeb thought everyone knew how nosey his mother was, "Really fellas with Mother in her all the time there is NO way I could have that sort of magazines under my bed."

Bo said, a bit of a disappointed reply, "Oh." As he took a couple magazines that he'd already reached for.

Luke grinned, "Yeah, I forgot about that."

Bo thumbed through the handful of magazines hoping to find something to get his cousins interested in, "Hey Jeb there is something wrong with these magazines."

"What?" Jeb asked being brought back to the land of the living.

"They don't have any cars in them." Bo said. "They are all about motorcycles."

"And?" Jeb asked.

Bo shrugged, "I just ain't seen anyone interested in motorcycles like this before. Like this one, it's all about racing Moto-Cross."

Luke watched the exchange between his younger cousins as he was trying to stay awake.

Jeb replied, "Well, now you have." Jeb struggled to try to adjust himself in the bed, "Remind me to read that one again. I don't remember seeing this part in there." He motioned to the large cast that he was wearing.

"About that, Jeb. How long have you been racing bikes?" Luke asked.

Jeb shrugged as best he could with his one free shoulder, "About six or seven months or so."

"You ever wiped out before?" Luke asked.

Jeb replied, "Sure I've layed my fair share down." He had a feeling that he knew where Luke was going with his thoughts.

"Jeb its one thing to lay one down, ... tear your jeans and skin your knee... It's another to wipe out, ... like you must have to do that." Luke said."You never did have a chance, ... to tell us what happened out there." Luke said between having to pause to get his breath.

Jeb thought a moment about what he remembered happening. "It all happened really fast. One minute we were heading into a sharp turn. Blake was in front of me. I was really ready to get around him, I cut to the inside and leaned into the turn. I guess I was so intent in getting around Blake that I tuned out Kinnison, who was about a half a bike length ahead of me on the inside. The next thing I knew he had his back wheel coming at my front wheel. The next thing I knew the bike was flipping and rolling. I guess I landed on my shoulder but I was too busy trying to get out of the way of the rest of the bikes. I think ya'll were there when they were putting me on the cot. Until then I didn't realize my shoulder was hurt until they started moving me."

"Adrenaline is a wonderful thing, ... until it wears off." Luke advised.

Jeb replied, "Yeah, well do you think we can talk Doc into giving up some adrenaline now?"

"Some how I think that is the last thing on Earth either of our doctors would give us right now." Luke said. "I think Doctor Greenwood wanted us out for the count."

Jeb replied, "Well, I don't know why with me I'm just sore all over and laying in a bed ain't gonna help that none."

Luke replied, "If your mother has anything to say about it you'll likely be in bed as long as I am and then when she gets you all better your likely to be sore for an entirely different reason."

"Don't remind me." Jeb said glumly. He could only hope that his Dad was home by the that time, since he knew that his mother hadn't had her say on his racing a motorcycle yet.

Bo had been glancing at one of the articles in the magazine about racing Moto-Cross, "Well, Jeb I hate to tell you this but it says right here that shoulder injuries and broken collar bones are one of the most frequent injuries in Moto-Cross and usually happens during landings after making jumps."

"Thanks Bo. I needed to hear that right now." Jeb replied, he had been close to dozing off, but the thought of having similar injuries to his shoulders in the future wasn't a pleasant one. "Let me see that." Jeb reached out with his right hand.

Bo handed him the magazine, "See right here."

Jeb read the information and sure enough Bo had told him what the article said. He tried to read further but his eyes were crossing. He layed the magazine on to the nightstand.

Karen and Daisy had finished up in the kitchen and made their way up to the boys room. Knocking softly, Karen asked, "Can we come in?"

Bo replied, "Sure."

Karen and Daisy went in the room to find Luke and Jeb between being barely awake and dozing off and Bo sitting on the sleeping bag in the floor with several magazines in front of him.

Karen asked in concern, "Are they alright?"

Bo nodded 'yes', "I think it's just the medicine. They have been awake and talking some."

Luke replied, "I'm awake."

"Me too." Jeb replied with his eyes still closed.

Bo smiled, "See what I mean?"

The Duke cousins talked awhile longer until it was clear that Luke and Jeb had been more asleep than awake for sometime. Karen and Daisy whispered before slipping out of the room and down the hall, "Night Bo."


	85. Home, Both Bitter and Sweet!

Chapter 85

Once in Karen's room, Daisy took a seat on her side of Karen's bed. Karen closed her bedroom door against family and the world beyond. Once Karen sat on her very own bed she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief at the softness and familiarity of her own bed. "Oh God, that feels good." Karen said. She could hardly wait to sink into the familiar mattress and cover up to her neck with her light weight fluffy summer comforter. It didn't even matter that she'd be sharing her bed with her cousin Daisy.

Daisy smiled, "Nothing like your own bed huh?"

"Exactly. Yet another thing I took for granted." Karen replied. After a bit of girl talk the female Duke cousins soon fell asleep.

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Jesse Duke being the family patriarch was up early and had coffee already brewing by the time Pauline came down for the girls bottles.

The sound of the twins fussing for their morning bottle woke Luke up since he wasn't used to being in a house with small infants.

Jeb on the other hand had gotten used to listening for the twins since his room was right beside theirs so he was awake just after Luke. "Great. The twins are awake and there is no way I can get them."

"Don't worry about it... Aunt Pauline has already gone, ... down for their bottles." Luke said with a bit of difficulty.

Just then the two teens heard Pauline come back into the room talking away to the infants.

Luke had managed to slip down in the bed during the night and found he wasn't breathing nearly as well as he would have been had he been sitting up more. He was also having some pain which was likely from the coughing fits he'd had at the track and the hospital, but he couldn't figure out why he was hurting more today than he had been. "How are you feelin'?"

Jeb thought about it for a long moment before answering, "Since the wreck, well since Doc patched me up I've only felt general soreness all over and felt stiff, but today I ain't even tried to move and my shoulder and arm are hurting nearly as bad as before Doc set them. I just don't understand it, Luke."

Luke thought as he listened to Jeb, then it came to him, "Yeah, well I think, ... I figured out, ... why. Doc gave us those, ... shots about six last night, ... it's now nearly six, ... in the morning. Twelve hours, ... no pain medication."

Jeb nodded now realizing what was going on, "So we weren't feeling better the pain medication just made us think that we were?"

Luke nodded 'yes'.

"Great." Jeb said suddenly realizing that he needed to take care of a nature call. He put his feet on the floor and pushed himself to sit up with his right hand and arm. Jeb managed to get up, go to the restroom, and get back into his bed but not without managing to bump the wall and into the door facing with his casted arm which sent waves of pain surging throughout his arm and shoulder. Jeb suddenly felt very nauseous. He knew there was no way to make it back to the restroom before he was sick. He reached out with his right hand and pulled his waste basket to his bed just in time.

Luke struggled to get sitting up where he had slide down in the bed. He tossed the covers back as he sit up. Finding that his sinuses had ran down the back of his throat in the night and hearing Jeb being sick, Luke started to gag and cough. He grabbed a pillow and tried to support his ribs as best that he could while going into another all out coughing fit.

Pauline was in the next room and couldn't miss this unmistakable sounds of Jeb being sick and Luke coughing. She had her hands full with the twins, but managed to step to the top of the stairs and call, "Jesse!"

Jesse had been in the middle of laying things out to cook for breakfast when he heard Pauline call him. It wasn't like her to call out like that at this time of morning unless something was wrong. Jesse went to the bottom of the stairs, "What is it, Pauline?"

"The boys. I've got the twins." She explained.

Jesse didn't need to be told twice that something was wrong with his boys. He took the stairs two at a time. As he opened the door he found Jeb throwing up, Luke in the middle of a coughing fit and Bo sound asleep. He nudged Bo's foot, "Bo! Get up!"

"Up. Yeah get up." Bo said as he sat straight up still not awake.

In no time Jesse managed to get Bo awake, Luke calmed down enough to be able to get his coughing under control and Jeb thankfully had stopped throwing up. Jesse asked Jeb, "What time does the pharmacy open today?"

Jeb thought about it since it wasn't often that they went to the pharmacy bright and early, "Eight, ... I think." Jeb groaned.

"Bo get dressed I want you sitting at the pharmacy door at ten minutes before eight." Jesse said. He wasn't at all happy that the medications that Doctor Greenwood had given the boys had worn off before their prescriptions could be filled.

"Yes, Sir." Bo replied as he was now up and dressing.

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Mr. Hibbs had been out late the night before talking to the Sheriff instead of driving all the way to Placid County. He had figured to just let the law handle the situation. So when his alarm clock went off the man wasn't in a pleasant mood. He shut the clock off and as he reached for his bathrobe he looked out the bedroom window. There was still no sign of his car that his daughter had used.

Mr. Hibbs mumbled some foul comment as he went about starting another work day.

Mrs. Hibbs heard her husband mumbling and decided to stay in bed at least until she heard the shower cut on, then she too grabbed her robe before heading down to make breakfast. When she turn toward the window and seen no since on the car that had basically became their daughter's once she got her drivers license, Mrs. Hibbs now understood the reason for her husbands foul grumbling this early in the morning. She shook her head and headed down to fix breakfast. Maybe, just maybe a good breakfast would put her husband in a bit better mood before he left for work. She could hope anyway.

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For Cooter the alarm clock went off far too early this morning after working so late last night, then having to make it up to Beverly for scaring her so by being so late. Cooter tried to ease out of the bed and not wake his wife. He made it all the way to the coffee pot and turned it on before Beverly asked, "Is it really time for you to get up already?"

"I'm afraid so, Darlin'." Cooter said as he headed to the bathroom.

Beverly managed to pout as Cooter came back into the room to get his work clothes on.

"Were you wanting the car today, Honey?" Cooter asked. He really hoped that she'd turn him down on the offer. His Camero was his pride and joy that he'd built from the ground up for nothing other than to race. He'd never even let the Dukes drive it, yet he'd offered it not once now, but twice, to his wife.

"Well, as much as I'd like to stay right here in bed, if I take you to work I can go out later and look for us something cheaper or at least bigger for when you get paid." Beverly said making perfect sense.

Cooter replied, "Alright, just get a move on, huh? The coffee is almost done." Cooter said as he finished dressing and pulled out stuff to make his lunch as Beverly pulled herself together to take him to work.

"It won't take me but a minute." Beverly said as she hurried to get dressed and freshen up a bit.

Soon the newlyweds were in the car and heading to the garage. As planned Cooter beat Wayne there again this morning. "Darlin' you can sit here and talk to me until Wayne gets here. I have tools in the trunk I may need today so I need to get a place here at the garage to store them."

Beverly gladly cuddled Cooter from her place in the passenger seat as they talked until Wayne pulled up.

Cooter got out of the driver's seat and addressed Wayne as he got out of his pickup truck, "Wayne my wife is using the car today. Do you have somewhere I can store my tools here so I won't have to load and unload them every day?"

"We'll find you somewhere safe to store them. Ya'll come on in and we'll get the coffee going then we'll get to all that." Wayne said.

Cooter stuck his head back in the car, "You heard that, come on in and meet the boss."

Beverly hadn't bothered to dress for going to town let alone meeting her husband's boss. She looked in the back seat and found a jacket of Cooter's and put it on over her night shirt. "Alright, but I'm warning you, I'm not dressed for the occasion."

Cooter grinned at his wife, "You look fine. Come on in."

After everyone met everyone else and Wayne realized that his new employee was a newlywed, they talked a few minutes over coffee, then Cooter and Wayne found an empty locker that Cooter could use to lock up his tools. Cooter got them all unloaded and placed in the locker which he locked up until he needed them. He then went to tell Beverly good bye after asking Wayne when she should be there to pick him up. Wayne had the good graces to appear embarrassed for keeping Cooter out so late last night and told them that he could go at five today. Five o'clock today sounded much better to Cooter than eight o'clock last night had.

Beverly had the station phone number tucked safely in her purse as she drove Cooter's Camero back to the motel for a bit more sleep before going out looking around the town.

Cooter couldn't help hold his breath just a bit as he watched Beverly drive off in his Camero. He was just beginning to learn what being married was all about. He knew that he wouldn't fully let out the breath he was holding until Beverly pulled back in this evening to pick him up.

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Rosco walked into the Police Station and seen his notes from last night. After fixing a pot of coffee, he dialed the Hibb's residence fully expecting to be able to toss the notes in the trash can.

"Hibb's residence." Mrs. Hibbs answered.

"This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, Ma'am. I spoke with your husband last night. Is he in?" Rosco asked.

"No, he's already left for work. You should be able to reach him out at the mill in a little while. Sheriff, is this about Beverly?" Mrs. Hibbs asked.

Rosco replied, "Yes Ma'am as a matter of fact it is. I was just calling to see if she returned home or if you all have heard anything from her yet?"

"No, Sheriff we haven't. I was hoping that you had heard something." Mrs. Hibbs said disappointed.

"I'll be sure to let you both know when I do hear anything." Rosco said.

Mrs. Hibbs replied, "Thank you Sheriff. You'll be the first to know if she calls or comes home."

Rosco replied, "I appreciate that, Ma'am." After hanging up the phone with Mrs. Hibbs he called Beverly's friend Jenny's house and spoke to both her mother and the teen. By the end of the call Rosco had found out that Beverly had not stayed with Jenny at all. The only useful information that Jenny was able to confirm for him was that Beverly was with Cooter Davenport, but had no idea where.

Rosco made his way over the Hazzard Garage just as Luther Davenport was opening up for the day. "Morning Luther."

"Rosco." Luther replied. He hoped this was just a routine visit by the Sheriff about his car. "What can I do for you today Sheriff?"

Rosco put his hands on his gun belt and tried to figure out a different way to explain what he needed. Not finding a more tactful way, he said, "Luther I need to know where Cooter is and I need to know now."

"I've already told you Rosco that I have no idea where that boy could be." Luther said as frustrated as the Sheriff himself.

Rosco explained, "Luther, I know the Hibb's girl is with him. You was there when her Daddy told me she is under eighteen. This could end up really bad for Cooter if I don't find them soon."

Luther rubbed the back of his neck. He thought for sure that Cooter had more sense than to be with an underage female - somewhere, but especially over night.

Just then the CB on the counter came to life, "Hazzard Four to Sheriff Coltrane."

As Rosco looked toward Luther for unasked permission to use the radio, Luther couldn't help the bad feeling he got as he motioned for the Sheriff to answer his Deputy.

"This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, go ahead Hazzard Four." Rosco said in his most official voice.

Deputy Petticord replied, "Sheriff, I'm out here by the Placid County line near the lake and I just spotted a car parked off the road, locked up with the keys in it and no one around it."

Rosco gave Luther a look as he asked, "Do you know the car?"

This being Hazzard County where everyone knew everyone else and their business it wasn't surprised that Deputy Petticord replied, "Sheriff, ... it looks like the Dodge that the Hibbs girl drives."

Rosco replied, "Get a tag number and get on back here to the office as soon as Luther gets there with the wrecker. I'm with him now so he'll be on his way shortly."

Luther had nodded that he would indeed be heading out to the Deputy's location.

"10-4, Sheriff. I'm parked on the main road he can't miss me." Deputy Petticord advised.

"Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, over and out." Rosco said as he layed the CB mic down and turned to Luther, "So that only leaves me with one question, ... What is Cooter driving?"

Luther sighed, looked around the station at both wreckers and knew that the pickup was at the farm, "He's got to be in his Camero."

Rosco knew the car and nodded his head once. "When you get the car out by the lake go ahead and put it in the impound yard. I'll run the tag and let the owner know where to pick it up."

"I'll go get it just as soon as LB shows up to watch the pumps. He should be here anytime now." Luther sighed as he watched Rosco heading back to his office. Luther shook his head as he realized just how much trouble his son could very well be in if and when Rosco found him.

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John woke up on the hard thin mattress of the steel bunk he'd slept on for nearly a week now. It was nothing like his own at home and even if Pauline had her ways about her she was still much softer and warmer than anything he found here. The only comforting thought John had at the moment was that at least Karen was released yesterday. This was no place for his daughter. On the down side of that thought was that the boy that caused Karen to be here was also out free as a bird while here he, her father, sat locked up in a cage for better than three weeks. John hoped that Pauline treaded easy on Karen at least until he got home to settle things. Otherwise he feared that Karen would rebel out of spite. John really hoped that he was wrong. He was brought away from those thoughts as he heard the coffee cart coming and the lights in the cell came on thus starting yet another day here.

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Bo had been at the pharmacy waiting for the door to open to get Luke and Jeb's medication filled just as Jesse told him to be. He then had headed back to his Uncle's farm as quickly as he could without rubbing the Placid County law the wrong.

Though it was a bit early to be drinking Luke was sure a couple healthy drinks of his Uncle John's shine would have fixed him right up, but Jesse wouldn't have heard of it, mainly because he wouldn't want to ruffle Pauline's feathers.

Jesse had planned to find Jeb some liquid pain relief before they all headed back to Hazzard, just like he'd make sure Luke had a little something later tonight once they got home. He just hadn't bothered to tell the boys that yet. Jesse wanted them to take the medication that Doctor Greenwood had given them since both had been given a prescription for an antibiotic in addition to the pain medications. Jesse knew it wouldn't be smart to mix alcohol with the medications.

Jesse was making himself useful stringing a bushel of beans on the front porch since Pauline had insisted they stay for lunch. Much to Pauline's displeasure Luke and Jeb were allowed out of bed and were now on the porch with Jesse. After getting a round of medication in both boys earlier Jesse was now seeing that they both had seemed to have improved as the day went along. He studied his youngest nephew who was setting on the porch swing along with Luke who was gently rocking the swing back and forth with one booted foot. Jesse figured it was time to finish a conversation that he'd let drop awhile back which he had every intention of picking back up before Jeb could get hurt. "Jeb, ... son, ..." Jesse began.

Jeb took as deep a breath as he could in the confines of the heavy cast. He knew this conversation was coming but he just hadn't knew when. He also knew that he could look forward to at least two more of these talks, none of which he looked forward to. "Yes, Sir."

"First of all, I feel like I've let you down." Jesse said.

Jeb frowned not following his Uncle's thoughts.

"Awhiles back we were talking out on my porch in Hazzard. Something was bothering you, but as we talked you told me about liking motorcycles and that you had been racing dirt bikes. Son, at the time what was bothering you was more important. I had meant to bring up this subject with you before the end of the summer and with everything that has been going on, well, ... I just hadn't gotten around to it." Jesse couldn't help feel he was inadvertently responsible for his nephews action and injuries.

Luke saw it was a good time to go see if there was any iced tea made as he silently got up from the swing to leave his Uncle and cousin to talk. Luke had been in or involved in more than his share of these talks since he turned eighteen and if he could get out of this one he was sure he'd feel much better by lunch.

Jeb was quick to reply, "Uncle Jesse don't blame yourself for any of this. I've been riding for about a year now and racing pretty much the last six months. I knew the risks. This isn't the first time I've layed a bike down or been hurt."

Jesse eyed his youngest nephew closer.

Jeb added, "It's just that before I've came in with a ripped pair of jeans, a scraped knee, a little road rash which was a bit easier to hid than 'this'." He said motioning to his casted upper body.

Jesse nodded slowly trying to figure out where to start, "You told me earlier in the summer that you had the money with what I'd pay you to buy your own bike, ... "

Jeb promptly interrupted, "Well, with what I won this weekend and what I already had given Blake the bike is mine. Free and clear."

Jesse raised his eyebrows.

"I've already signed over my winnings and gotten the change." Jeb finished.

Jesse frowned before continuing, "So, where's the bike?"

Jeb sighed before answering, "Blake took it back to his house with him for me. At least until I square this with Mom and Dad and can go get it."

Jesse eyed his nephew carefully before continuing, "You mean to tell me, that even after the crash and all this, you still want to buy that bike?"

"Ummm, ... No, Sir." Jeb paused, "I mean I've already bought it. Blake brought my winnings to the hospital. I signed the checks over to him and he gave me my change. So the bike is mine, I just need to go get it."

"WHAT?!" Jesse exclaimed, "After all this. After what you've put your Momma and Poppa through? Not to mention the rest of us!"

Jeb lowered his eyes before replying, "For all that, I'm sorry. Really I am, but this is something that I love to do. It's part of me. Just like running shine is for you and my Daddy. Just like racing cars are for Luke and Bo. This, racing bikes, is part of me. I'm sorry that none of you all see it like I do, I'm sorry that I worried ya'll, but this crash wasn't because I don't know how to ride. I do. Ask anyone on the circuit, except maybe Kinnison who has been suspended the rest of the season because of this, I know how to ride and I ride da-ed good!" Jeb said with more feeling than may have been necessary and promptly ducked at the glare his Uncle sent his way.

Jesse took in his own deep breath, held it a full minute before letting it out, then said, "Alright, son. If this is something you want to do. Have to do. I'm can live with it, but you are still underage. There is only one thing you have to do for me to be alright with it. You have to square it with your parents. They are still responsible for you at least until you are eighteen. They have to know what you are doing before I can support you in it."

Jeb dropped his eyes to the porch floor for a complete minute before he looked back at his uncle and said, "Yes, Sir. I know. At least 'this' gives me time to talk to them before I can run the next race. I'll work on it once Dad gets home."

Jesse shook his head 'yes', and replied, "I understand, Son."

Pauline Duke stepped out on the porch seconds after Jesse's statement died, "Lunch is ready. Jeb Stewart Duke go get something on other than your jeans so that you are presentable at the table."

Jeb rolled his eyes at his mother and looked to his Uncle for rescue.

Jesse tried to run interference, "Pauline it's July. This heat is murder. With all that plaster on Jeb has bound to be hotter than any of us, besides I'd be willing to bet that there isn't anything he owns that will fit over that cast. Let him be, this isn't a formal affair."

Pauline looked from Jeb to Jesse and considered her brother-in-laws words before promptly turning on her heel and heading back to the kitchen as she mumbled something about shopping for him some larger shirts tomorrow if not later today.

Jeb smiled at his mother's retreating back, "Thanks Uncle Jesse."

"You just remember, to square all this with your folks, now let's go have some lunch." Jesse replied.

Jeb managed to get to his feet and replied, "Yes, Sir, Uncle Jesse."

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Life and work got in the way of this post. Sorry it took so long. Thanks for stilcking around for it. I hope you enjoyed it.


	86. Pieces Begin to Fall in Place!

I'm extremely sorry for the long delay in posting and want to thank those who continue to read. Real life has been occupying my spare time lately. It's been a long fight that I hope will not only soon end but will see my granddaughter back in a loving, caring home with her family. Thanks again for reading.

Chapter 86

As the Dukes traveled toward Hazzard County, Luther Davenport stopped off at the Boar's Nest for a cold beer to cut the dust in his throat. He'd been out most of the day on the wrecker. First with the car that his own son had likely parked considering where and how the car was parked so that it wouldn't draw attention anytime soon, but also where it would be found. Then, Rosco had managed to run off a perfectly straight dry road on a bright sunny summer day and get bottomed out as he spun to try to get out of his predicament. Now Luther was just coming back from getting a car out of a ditch. It seems the young woman was newly married and in town visiting her husband relatives. She shyly admitted that she had been told to watch out for the section of newly graveled road since she wasn't used to driving on dirt roads. She had driven several years so she failed to take her new husband's advice which had ended her up in the ditch in his new car. Luther had assured her that the car wasn't hurt and soon she was on her way just a bit slower this time.

Luther got his beer at the bar and headed to a table toward the back of the near empty bar. Luther wasn't really here for the conversation, he was good with sipping on his beer and soaking up a bit of air conditioning. As he slowly sipped his lukewarm beverage, Luther's thoughts returned to his conversations with the Sheriff, well, at least the conversations about Cooter. He couldn't for the life of him think where Cooter could be since Saturday with a girl, an underage girl at that. Luther shook his head, the boy had been out to Oklahoma and worked the oilfields for awhile, but other than that Luther could count the times on his hands Cooter had spent the night out of Hazzard County. But, Luther had to give it to Cooter, he could be resourceful, so that left a lot of possibilities open.

In the back room of the Boar's Nest Boss Hogg had been listening to the details of how his Sheriff had managed once again to run up a wrecker bill. "Ding Dang it Rosco! How am I supposed to make any profits if you manage to spend them on wrecker and garage bills? I ain't even had a decent shine run since Cooter made a delivery up to Tennessee Friday night."

Boss Hogg was in running off at the mouth with a full head of steam as Jane opened the office door to bring in Boss Hogg's after lunch snack - three racks of barbeque beef ribs.

"Dat, Dat, Dat!" Boss exclaimed. He rushed to close the door behind the waitress who had entered his office with out knocking, "Sugerpie, don't just open the door like that, knock first. You never know what sort of, ..."

"Dirty, rotten, lowdown, ..." Rosco added as he moved closer to Boss Hogg's snack hoping to snag a nibble.

"ROSCO! Hush!" Boss exclaimed. "What sort of business dealings you could walk in on."

"Ghee, Boss I'm sorry, but with this platter and all it was all I could do to carry it and get the door open." Jane said shyly.

Outside Boss Hogg's door, Luther Davenport replayed the part of the conversation that he'd heard which interested him, _'since Cooter made a delivery up to Tennessee Friday night'_. Luther now remembered the conversation with LB about seeing Cooter coming back in from this run. Luther took a drink of beer and thought about that for the next little while until after he'd seen the Sheriff leave. Luther turned up his mug and finished his beer then walked into Boss Hogg's office unannounced.

Around a mouthful of ribs Boss mumbled, "Luther Davenport? What do you want?"

Luther gave the man a hard look, "I hear my son made a whiskey run for you Friday night up to Tennessee, ... I want to know where to and how much you paid him?"

"Well, now, ... supposing, ... just supposing that he did. What has that got to do with you?" Boss Hogg said smugly.

"Hogg!" Luther exclaimed harshly. "Your Sheriff has asked me twice about Cooter's whereabouts, I don't have a clue. If you sent him to Tennessee, I want to know where and how much you paid him. If I know how much cash he has on him I may be able to figure out where he is." Luther explained.

Boss considered Luther's request. He couldn't see how the requested information could hurt him or his buyer, but he also didn't see how it could help the mechanic find his wayward son. "He took the load up to Moore County." Boss shrugged his shoulders, then added, "And I paid him a hundred dollars."

Luther nodded. Now that he had the information he wasn't sure exactly how to use it but replied, "I appreciate it, Mr. Hogg."

Boss Hogg puffed his cigar, "I sure hope it helps you find that boy of yours before he winds up in a heap of trouble."

Luther sent the fat man a glare them stomped out of the office and through the Boar's Nest. Once in the wrecker, Luther thought, _"Hogg had paid Cooter a hundred dollars and he knew he had put two hundred and sevety-five in his son's pay envelope. Knowing his fool son, Luther knew Cooter wasn't one to hold on to much money so he shouldn't have much more than three hundred seventy-five dollars on him. For two people that wasn't a lot of money but he knew his son was handy with his hands so he could make money. Now the question: __**'Just where would his son go to make money?'**__ " _Luther wondered as he drove back to town.

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Luther Davenport wasn't the only one thinking about the conversation he had just had, JD Hogg's wheels were also spinning. He keyed the CB mic and called for his Sheriff.

Rosco grumbled as he picked up the CB mic while trying not to run off the road again, "This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane here."

"Rosco get back here to the Boar's Nest pronto." Boss Hogg said.

Rosco replied as he swung his patrol car around in the middle of the road, "Ok, Boss. I'm in Pronto mode back to you."

"Dat, Dat, Dat, just get here now." Boss Hogg said as he tossed the CB mic back on his desk and began to pace impatiently waiting on his hired Sheriff.

Minutes later Rosco stumbled over his own feet as he stepped into Boss Hogg's office without knocking.

Boss Hogg turned back toward the noise and he and Rosco nearly ended up tangled up in the middle of his office floor. Fortunately, though the fat man's weight on his feet kept him anchored and stopped the bumbling Sheriff's fall. "Rosco!" Hogg bellowed, "Can't you even walk up right with out trippin' over your own feet?"

"Jut, Jut, Jut, ... Boss I didn't trip over my own feet, ..." Rosco began knowing darn good and well that is just what he'd tripped over. "There must have been some sort of, ..." He turned toward the open door looking for anything to blame his clumsiness on but seen nothing anywhere near the doorway.

"Nevermind, ALL that!" Boss Hogg shut the door loudly. "Now, the reason I called you back here is a conversation I just had with Luther Davenport about Cooter. He seemed to think that Cooter running that load of shine for me on Friday was pertinent to where he might be at now. Now you have been up to the Lynchburg area since I have, do they still have that one little hole in the wall garage up there?"

Rosco thought a minute then replied, "Well, yeah Boss there is that one there on Main Street. It's the only one I know of. You can get gas or a tire changed but likely not much more."

Boss Hogg shook his head. They were thinking of the same place. Boss Hogg turned to the phone, "Maybelle connect me with Boss Davis up in Lynchburg." Boss puffed his cigar impatiently until the Boss of the small Tennessee County answered the line, "Boss Davis this is J.D. Hogg down in Hazzard."

"JD." The other man replied neutrally.

"Yes, well, well, well and well. It's been a long time since I've been up to your fair city." Hogg began.

Davis cut him off, "Yes it has." And for that the small town Boss was grateful and hoped it would be even longer before the double dealing fat man came back to his town and tried to flimflam his citizens into business deals.

"Well, I was wondering, ... that there one horse garage that you have there on Main Street. It wouldn't just happen to have a new mechanic hanging around there would it?" JD asked.

Rosco only now put two and two together and came up with four as he cut loose with a giggle, "Cooter Davenport!"

Boss Hogg shot the man a glare and waved his hand to hush his Sheriff as he waited for the man on the other end of the phone to reply.

Boss Davis thought for a full minute and did remember seeing a man he'd never seen before at the local garage when he'd gassed his car up earlier that day. The reason for the frown was just how and WHY, JD Hogg knew or suspected a stranger in his town. "Well, now there have been a few new faces around here lately, but what does that have to do with you?"

JD Hogg had played cat and mouse since the game was invented. He wasn't sure if the new faces the other Boss was talking about was Cooter Davenport and the Hibbs girl or not, but they could be. That was good enough for him. "Nothing, nothing at all. It's been nice chatting with you and all but I have to go now."

"Chatting? Go, now? JD, what are you talking about?" Boss Davis asked, more confused than ever.

Boss Hogg simply replied, "I'll be in contact with you again, Davis. Have a **nice** day! Bye now!" Boss Hogg promptly hung up the phone and turned to his Sheriff, "When does Mr. Hibbs get home from work?"

"Home? Well, he should be getting off here soon from the mill and he usually goes straight home." Rosco offered.

"Well, he won't be going straight home today. I want you to meet him at the mill and bring him here for a nice little chat. I think I have some information that he just might find interesting." Boss Hogg said as he puffed on his cigar.

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Meanwhile the Dukes of Hazzard were making their way home from Placid County. Bo and Daisy were in Luke's Torinto behind Jesse's pickup truck. Much to Luke's displeasure, nothing that he could have said or done would have gotten him out of riding home with his Uncle Jesse. Furthermore, Luke knew that home wasn't their first destination.

Trying one more time, Luke began, "Uncle Jesse I'm really, ... alright. You have the medicine that Doctor, ... Greenwood gave me and all... Can't we just go to the, ... farm? You have always, ... been the one to take care, ... of us." Luke cursed the times that he had to pause for a breath while trying to plead his case about being alright.

"Luke we have been over all this before, you have been hurt nearly a month now and haven't gotten better but only gotten worse under my care. Just listen to yourself, pneumonia is nothing to play with. You ain't well and if Doctor Applebee thinks that spending a few days with him will get you better sooner, then that is just what we are going to do. And, I'll not hear anymore arguments about it." Jesse stated firmly.

Luke could have chewed nails but wisely kept his mouth shut. There was nothing he could say that would change his Uncle's mind about this and he was only wasting what little breath that he had trying to plead his case. It was going to be a long boring while before he got back to his own bed.

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In Placid, Pauline was off to town to find something presentable for her son to wear while in the mounts of plaster that Doctor Greenwood had deemed the necessary treatment for her son. She was hurrying since she had invited the niece of the new banker over for supper to introduce her to Karen and of course Jeb. Pauline felt that Jeb needed to meet more of the 'right' sort of people and leave all those motorcycle people alone.

Jeb had taken full advantage of his mother not being home and was currently on the front porch swing in nothing but his slip on shoes and gym shorts, ... and of course the large plaster cast that covered his entire left arm, left shoulder and entire rib cage. He had one foot across the swing and was swinging the swing with one foot, almost asleep after his latest dose of pain medications.

Karen was more than happy to be home and with her mother gone to town, she hadn't even complained about watching the now sleeping twins as she listened to the radio and carried the last load of laundry out to be hung up on the line.

Once Pauline Duke got home from her shopping trip, she began having Karen get in all the dried laundry off the clothes lines. It just wasn't proper to have clothes hanging on the line with company coming. Before Pauline started dinner she sent Jeb to clean up and get dressed before company arrived.

Jeb had been perfectly content sitting on the swing enjoying the days light breeze until his mother had disturbed him. He had known there was no use in trying to delay so he had taken the bag of shirts his mother had gotten him and headed up stairs.

"Let me know if you need any help Dear." Pauline Duke said as she watched her son going up the stairs. He seemed a bit unsteady on his feet which she figured was due to the weight of the cast.

Jeb only nodded as his mother's offer to help him get dressed. A movement which sent his head swimming. He stopped as he took the last step to let the dizziness pass. Jeb couldn't help but think that the medicine Doctor Greenwood had given him sure had a heck of a punch. For his part, Jeb would have just as soon had a few sips of his Dad's or his Uncle's shine which would have taken the pain away just as well without making him feel like he did right now. After managing to get washed up as best as he could with only the use of his right hand, Jeb made it back to his room where the 'fight' began. First Jeb picked out the largest most comfortable looking shirt that his mother had picked out for him. He was now remembering why he had been insisting on going shopping for his school clothes for the last several years as he looked at some of the shirts he was sure he'd never wear. Getting the shirt on over his head wasn't too bad. Even getting his right arm through the right sleeve had been do-able, but the hard part was getting the shirt pulled down with only the use of his right hand. The plaster its self was now keeping the shirt in place instead of allowing it to be pulled down. After several long minutes of working the material of the shirt over the plaster Jeb had gotten the shirt on as best that he could and was now feeling as if he'd been at football practice for hours. Feeling both the effects of the medication and the workout Jeb had just been through, he turned to go out of his room but saw his bed and it seemed to be calling his name. Jeb figured that just stretching out on his bed for a few minutes wouldn't hurt anything and just might make him feel a bit better. Even in the different position that he was forced to lay in Jeb was soon very comfortably dozing off.

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By the time that Jesse Duke pulled up in front of Doc Applebee's office, which also doubled as his home, Luke had drifted off to sleep from the medication and the motion of the truck.

Bo pulled Luke's car in behind the pickup and saw Jesse get out but Luke had yet to open his door. Bo about half way figured that his older cousin was still trying to talk their uncle into going on out to the farm. "Looks like Luke is still trying to plead his case about going home."

Daisy shook her head 'no', "Not from here. To me it looks like he's asleep."

Bo frowned, "Luke never sleeps during the day."

"Not unless he's really sick." Daisy added.

That was enough to get Bo moving toward his older cousin who might as well have been his brother, "Uncle Jesse is Luke alright?"

Jesse nodded, 'yes' as he said letting his voice grow a bit louder, "Luke, ... Luke, ... Luke, son wake up."

"I **am** awake Uncle Jesse." Luke said with his eyes still closed, then added, "It's Bo's turn to milk Bessie."

Luke talking out of his head might at any other time been hilarious to Bo, but this afternoon it down right worried him.

Jesse seen the concern in Bo's eyes for Luke, "Luke open your eyes and get yourself awake."

It took a good minute, but Luke finally opened his eyes, got his bearings and let out a groan. "Ah, come on Uncle Jesse."

Jesse gave Luke a one word warning that said more than any argument anyone else could have used, "Luke."

With a loud sigh, Luke replied, "I'm coming."

Once the four Dukes were in the office, Doc Applebee took Luke and Jesse back to an exam room. Several deep breaths and a few questions later Luke was being shown to a room with an already made up hospital bed in it. "Come on ya'll, ... This really isn't, ... necessary, ..." Luke got out just before he started to cough.

Doc dropped the side rail on the bed as Jesse turned back the covers.

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Pauline almost had dinner ready to put on the table. Karen had gotten the table set for four as instructed by her mother as they heard a strange car pull up. Pauline looked at the clock it was nearly a half hour before time to sit down at the dinner table. Being the good hostess, Pauline turned the stove down and went to the front room to greet their guest.

There was the bankers daughter getting out of the car in skin tight jeans and tub top. This was not the picture Pauline pictured when she had invited the girl to her home for dinner.

Once Angie Day had been invited to dinner at the Duke farm she had done her homework. Mrs. Duke not only had a daughter close to her age, but also a son. From the way the young girl had heard it, he was a very attractive young man that was well known, into most sports, and basically one of the biggest 'catches' at her new school, so Angie had dressed to impress the young man. After all first impressions do count.

The trouble with the girl's first impressions was that to impress the son, it had the total opposite effect on the mother. Pauline Duke bit her tongue and counted ten before saying, "Welcome, Ms. Day. This is my daughter Karen."

Karen had just stepped out on the porch to meet their dinner guest.

Pauline turned and continued, "And this is my, ..." She stopped in mid sentence when Jeb was no where to be seen. Pauline frowned, then asked Karen, "Where is your brother?"

Karen shrugged her shoulders, "I haven't seen him since you sent him up to get ready for dinner, but I'll go check."

"Nevermind. You get acquainted with Ms. Day here and I'll go see what's keeping Jeb. Ms. Day I can't apologize enough for my son's rudeness." Pauline said as she hurried to find Jeb. And, find him she did.

Jeb was laying on his back up against his pillows against the headboard sound asleep when his mother entered his room.

"Jeb? ... Jeb Darlin', ... Jeb Stewart Duke!?" Pauline said getting louder each time.

Jeb finally heard his mother's words through the medication induced sleep. He bolted upright thinking he was late for school or in deep trouble for something. Jeb had totally forgot about his injuries or the cast on his arm and upper body. The weight of the cast caused Jeb to nose dive to the left and end up in a crumpled heap in the floor. The impact shot shock waves through out Jeb's body as his mother's voice echoed in his mind.

"Jeb Stewart Duke! What on EARTH are you doing asleep in the middle of the afternoon? Why, it is unheard of for a Duke to be asleep in the middle of the day like this and when we're having company to boot!" Pauline exclaimed.

Jeb moaned from the pain, then groaned at being reprimanded for sleeping in mid-afternoon. "I'm up. Sorry Mother, it must be the medication or, ..."

"Nevermind all that! We have a guest down stairs and I want you downstairs now!" Pauline fumed.

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Rosco met Mr. Hibbs at the mill and told him that Boss Hogg wanted to talk to him. Figuring that this may might just be information on Beverly, Mr. Hibbs agreed to go to the Boar's Nest and speak to Boss Hogg.

Boss Jefferson Davis Hogg proudly invited Mr. Hibbs into his den of his very own lair. Beaming with satisfaction, JD Hogg began, "Mr. Hibbs, I think that I may have information for you concerning your daughter's where abouts." JD Hogg paused, then added, "Now I am not one to get into such piddly things as family disputes and such, but, ... if I can assist you in such domestic type dealings and all I'm sure that you will remember these favors, ... ummm, ... favorably in the future, ... don't ya know."

There it was. The price for help in finding his daughter was spelled out to Mr. Hibbs. Point blank, he'd owe JD Hogg now and in the future if he accepted his help now. Mr. Hibbs saw no other way at the present time and time was of the essences. "Alright, Mr. Hogg, I understand your terms. Anything that is in my power to make things go your way, I'll do without question. Now, where is my daughter?" Mr. Hibbs asked.

JD Hogg replied with a smile, "That's mighty friendly of you, Sir. You might want to start looking up around the Moore County area of Tennessee. Say maybe around Lynchburg. I know they have a garage there on Main Street that just might have a new mechanic that just **may** be one Cooter Davenport. I am also fairly sure that with a little money, that your influence will go a long way, ... if, you get my drift."

Mr. Hibbs did get JD's drift. He stood up shook hands with the fat fat and said, "Yes, I get your drift. I'm mighty beholding to you Mr. Hogg. In fact I'll just stop at the bank on my way out of town."

"Do have a safe trip now and I hope all is well with your daughter." Boss Hogg said far too friendly for his normal demeanor.

Mr. Hibbs thought to himself as he made his way out to his car, _'Things will be just fine with my girl just as soon as I find her and get my hands on that good for nothing grease monkey that she's with.'_

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Several minutes later Jeb had pulled himself together and was now sitting at the dinning room table. His mother was shooting daggers at him, their dinner guest was ogling him, and his sister's eyes were dancing with amusement. Jeb wasn't sure which was the most annoying of the three but wished they had just left him asleep in his bed.

Jeb figured part of his Mother's reason for the looks she was shooting at him was over him being asleep when she came upstairs earlier. The other part of the reason was surely the fact that in his rush to get downstairs Jeb had forgotten that he was dressed only in his gym shorts and large baggie T-shirt his mother had gotten him to go over the cast on his arm. Jeb wasn't sure how he'd have managed his jeans but would have at least tried if he'd remembered they were having a guest over, but from where he sat the girl didn't seem to mind his casual dress attire.

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Thanks again for reading. Reviews welcome.


	87. Closing In up in Tennessee

Chapter 87

After dinner the young people were excused to the living room where Jeb took a seat in his father's chair since it was the easiest seat for him to get out of with only the use of his right hand. Angie took a seat nearest him on the sofa. Karen took the seat furthest from her brother.

Karen had seen this before, she may as well have been on Mars as far as Angie was concerned. She was here for one reason and one reason only - Jeb.

Jeb was listening intently for Angie's ride to rescue him.

"I never did hear how you got hurt." Angie said.

That actually surprised Jeb to hear. He figured his mother would have told everyone how he'd gotten hurt. "I was racing a dirt bike in a race when a jerk caused me to wreck."

"Wow! I've always wanted to ride a motorcycle." Angie gushed.

Jeb couldn't help but think the girl likely didn't know the different in a dirt bike and a street bike.

"I'd really like to see your bike." Angie said, hoping to get Jeb alone.

Jeb gave a little smile before replying, "I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a bit on that, ... since it's up in Fulton County."

Karen had lost interest in this conversation even before it began, but she managed to hear Jeb's last sentence. "What's in Fulton County?"

"My bike." Jeb replied in a low voice.

"**Your** WHAT? Have you lost your mind?" Karen asked.

"SHhh! Hush! You don't have to make such a big deal about it." Jeb said to his sister.

"Hey, it's your funeral. You know Mother isn't over this and your going to tell her you have your own motorcycle?" Karen asked.

"No, not exactly. At least not if you'd hush. I planned to wait until Dad gets home." Jeb explained to Karen.

"Consider me hushed and knowing nothing about it when the crap hits the fan!" Karen said as she picked up an emory board and began filing her nails. Yet another small thing she had taken for granted until last weekend.

An hour or so later, Jeb wasn't sure how or why he'd let himself be talked into walking outside alone with their dinner guest or what was taking her ride so long to get here as he took a seat on a bale of hay beside the barn. Jeb had long ago lost interest in the girl's ramblings. He had never been one to think in generalities but if there had ever been a blond that was dingy, it had to be this girl. Angie had agreed with everything he'd said, disliked everything he didn't, and even tried to show interest in dirt bikes - a subject Jeb knew she knew nothing about from the get go.

Angie quickly took a seat way too close to Jeb for his comfort, but before he could do anything about it Angie took him totally off guard. First he felt her fumble with his gym shorts, then before he knew what was happening Jeb felt a totally unexpected sensation that took his breath away. In the moment of shock, Angie pushed Jeb's casted chest back against the barn which put him off balance in a reclining position.

Jeb wasn't sure at the moment if he was in heaven or hell. One thing for sure, Angie knew exactly what she was doing as Jeb tried to breath. Jeb knew he should stop her, but at the moment he wanted anything but for her to stop.

Just as Angie had reached the point of no return for Jeb, they both heard Pauline Duke's voice close by a whole second too late, "Jeb, ... Jeb Dear, ..." Followed by, "JEB STEWART DUKE! What are YOU do,..." Pauline cut off just as she realized what she saw going on. "OH MY LORD! Jeb DUKE! Get to your room NOW!"

Jeb struggled to get back into a sitting position then stand up. Once standing he hoped that he got his legs to carry him back to his room before his mother could get a hickory switch in her hands. Jeb wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew that according to his mother everything that happened this evening was going to somehow be all his fault. There would be no explaining that the girl had taken him by surprise, no that wouldn't work. Thankfully, Jeb heard a car in the drive as he topped the stairs on his way to his room. He hoped it was whatever her name was ride to anywhere but here.

Karen had just stepped out of her room to see what her mother's commotion was about as she took in the disheveled look of her brother as he stepped into his room. "Jeb? What on Earth?"

"Stay out of it." Jeb said as he closed out the world with the slam of his bedroom door.

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Night fall in Hazzard found the Duke Farm with three Dukes both tired and restless from their out of town trip. They were all also still worried about Luke who was currently a guest of Doc Applebee's and Jeb who was likely up to his eyeballs with Pauline Duke's mother henning him. Though Jesse knew none of them would sleep well until Luke was back under his roof, he still felt it best for his oldest to stay at Doc's for a few days. No matter how good Jesse took care of of his kids when they were sick, there were somethings that he just couldn't do for the kids, like the medicine that Doc was giving Luke through the tube in his arm.

Jesse knew that Luke had always tried to shame Bo in being brave and taking shots, but Jesse knew that Luke really didn't like needles any more than Bo did. A fact that had worried him when Luke hadn't put up more of a fight about the needle earlier. It had only taken Doc's explanation that the medication would work faster and get Luke home faster for him to agree to the IV medication.

Jesse said a silent prayer for Luke's speedy return home as well as Jeb's recovery and John's safety before closing his Bible up and standing, "Alright you two. It's time to call it a night."

Bo looked up at the clock seeing it was nearly a half hour before their normal bedtime, "But, ..."

"No, buts. We got a farm to run and we're one short." Jesse said.

Daisy wisely replied, "Night Uncle Jesse, Bo."

Bo looked from Daisy back to his uncle, sighed and gave in, "Night Daisy, Uncle Jesse."

Jesse gave them a small smile, "Night kids. Luke will be home soon. Don't you stay up all night worrying about him." He held up his hand to stop Bo's protest, "Doc said he'd call if there was any changes. Now get some sleep."

Bo sighed, "Yes, Sir."

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In town, Doc Applebee checked in on Luke before heading to bed himself. It was time to hang a new bag of antibiotics which Doc made short work of and never disturbed the sleeping Duke. Of course that likely had something to do with the sleeping medication that he'd put through through the IV earlier.

Both Doctor Applebee and Doctor Greenwood had agreed when they talked that the best thing for both young Dukes was to rest and if that meant medically inducing sleep then they would do what they could to help their patients speed up their recovery.

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The next morning found Cooter Davenport once again at the garage before his new boss ready to start another day. He had left his new bride very satisfied before he left her alone at the motel for the day. Just thinking of the early morning activity put a smile across Cooter's face.

A couple of hours later found Cooter elbow deep inside a truck engine replacing a water pump while across town in a back office of the Courthouse his father in law was talking to Boss Davis. "I am James Hibbs, ... as in THE Hibbs' Mill and Processing Plant." Mr. Hibbs saw the look of recognition on the man's face.

"Yes, yes, of course Mr. Hibbs. What can I do for you today?" Boss Davis asked.

"Well, I actually just need some information at the moment. I believe that there maybe a new mechanic at the garage on Main Street." Mr. Hibbs began.

Boss Davis might have been born at night but it was **not** last night, "You know, you are the second person in two days to be making the same inquiry. Care to tell me why a new mechanic in my town would interest you?" He asked without answering Mr. Hibbs question.

Mr. Hibbs had hoped not to have to tell everyone his business, but it looked as if he was going to have to give up on some information to this man if he wanted any help. "Well, my daughter has been running around with a fellow that I don't approve of. In fact, I've forbid her to continue seeing him. I tend to believe that the new mechanic just maybe the man in question."

Boss Davis frowned not following Mr. Hibbs thoughts, "Well, if he is here and she is in Hazzard County what do you have to worry about?"

Mr. Hibbs swore to himself, "That's just it. She hasn't been home since last Saturday morning. The young man in question also hasn't been seen anywhere either. And while I'm at it, ... I'll tell you that my daughter isn't eighteen yet either."

"And the young man is how old?" Boss Davis asked.

Mr. Hibbs shrugged his shoulders slightly. He wasn't sure of the Davenport kids age exactly. "I'd say he's about twenty. I **know **he's over eighteen."

Boss Davis rubbed his chin in thought, "So you think that they are both up here? You do know that up here a young girl doesn't need her parents permission to get married if she is at least sixteen?"

Mr. Hibbs hadn't known that and right about now he was seeing red. "You're NOT saying that she ,..."

Boss Davis held up his hands in defense. "I'm not saying any such thing has happened, but it is a possibility. How about I get my Sheriff over here to go find out some information for you, then we'll see just what it is that you want done and what all I can help you out with?"

Mr. Hibbs knew he could head over to the local garage, check the local motels, boarding houses, and such himself but something in the man's demeanor in front of him convinced him that he had done the right thing in coming to see this man first before he headed off half cocked in search of that grease monkey who had filled his girls head with a bunch of foolishness. "Alright."

"Well, alright then. Why don't you go get you something to eat, maybe a room for the night. In fact, you might just want to do so over in the next town. Then, you could come back here after dinner and I'll let you know what we've found out. Once we know what we have then we can come up with a plan that best suits your needs." Suggested the smooth Boss of Moore County.

Mr. Hibbs sighed, "I had really wanted to be home by supper with my daughter in tow."

"Mr. Hibbs I really feel that it is in your best interest to take this matter slow. Now, you could go racin' down there and have them wave a marriage license in your face or we could get things straight and though they have an 'unofficial' copy of a marriage license that anyone could print up, it doesn't mean a THING if it's not properly recorded in the main courthouse." Boss Davis smiled seeing the recognition show on Mr. Hibbs face, "Yes, I see you see what I'm thinking. Now, as a father myself, I know that you have had a few very trying days and my staff and I are here to help don't ya know. Now you just run along and grab some rest and I'll see you after dinner."

Mr. Hibbs was no fool. He saw exactly what the man was implying. Though he usually didn't resort to such extreme measures, desperate times had at times led to desperate measures. He'd play the man's game if it meant getting his daughter back. "After dinner, yes, I'll see you then. Thank you Mr. Davis."

"No thanks needed." Davis replied with a smile.

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Bo felt something tap his foot but was sure it wasn't morning yet. He had just got to sleep it felt like.

"Bo, son. It's time to get up." Jesse's voice.

"It can't be, it's still dark out." Bo replied.

Jesse shook his head, "Open your eyes then tell me that. Come on, up and at 'um!"

Bo gave up, tossed his covers off and set up still without opening his eyes.

Daisy called as she went into the bathroom, "Mornin' Uncle Jesse, Bo."

Bo grumbled, knowing that not only was he awake, but he'd have to wait to get into the bathroom, then he asked, "Uncle Jesse, Doc didn't call did he?"

"No he didn't. I'll give him a spell then I'll call and check on Luke." Jesse said as he headed toward the kitchen to get breakfast started.

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Luke's first recollection was that he was laying or sitting in a reclined position instead of flat on his back. As Luke opened his eyes and tried to figure out where he was he felt the congestion rattling in his chest. Luke sit up more as he began to cough and for the the first time in days the coughing actually resulting in bringing some of the congestion up. Luke reached for the box of tissues on the nightstand to get rid of the congestion he'd just coughed up.

Doc Applebee had been up late the night before waiting to change the bag of antibiotics for Luke, so he had intended to sleep in a few extra minutes this morning, but when he heard the young Duke couching he decided against the extra sleep. After quickly dressing, Doc went into Luke's room and asked, "Awake so early?"

Luke checked the clock in the room, "Early? Usually I've been up for at least an hour."

"So how are you feeling this morning?" Doc asked with a bit of a smile.

Luke groaned, "Like a truck

ran oven me. A big one."

Doc gave his patient a knowing look, "So are you couching anything up yet?"

"Oh, yeah." Luke replied.

Doc nodded, "Good. Did you happen to see what color it is?"

Luke thought of all the questions that a doctor could ask him, he had to ask the color of spit. "Green."

Doc replied, "That's good. Get rid of anything you spit up. I'll get some breakfast started and be back to give you another bag of antibiotics soon."

Luke sighed as he watched the doctor leave. It didn't sound as if he were going anywhere soon.

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Thanks again for reading. Reviews welcome.


	88. Which is the Most Corrupt County?

Chapter 88

Thanks proof-reader for seeing that I had accidentally reposted Chapter 87 as part of this chapter. That is the hazzards of computer trouble! I uplaoded the file and posted it in a hurry while using a 2nd computer but it looks like my old (ancient) desktop has once agin fixed it's self and is BACK up and online again! As for the other errors that you mention, I write for my enjoyment as well as most of my readers. If my errors are too numerous to over look or you are annoyed by my phrases then I suggest you choose not to read any further.

I like when readers enjoy my efforts, but I don't plan to change my annoying phrases and I do try to avoid typos, but again I'm not paid to write. So if you can't read my stories and enjoy them then I won't force you to read them.

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Bo had so looked forward to school being out for the summer, but for one reason or the other it seemed that this summer he was doing a lot more work and a lot less summer fun! Part of him wanted to blame his older cousin, but knowing that he was so sick it was hard to blame Luke. Then there was Jeb, who any other summer would be right here beside Bo doing his share of the chores who was also layed up hurt just because some jerk got a little to eager to win a race. Bo sighed, so now he was stuck with all three of their chores!

Daisy came inside the barn to see Bo working to get the chores done, "How about some lemonaid, Sugar?"

Bo wiped the sweat off his forehead with his arm and flopped onto a bale of hay, "That sounds great about now."

"Is there anything I can do to help you before I head off to work?" Daisy asked.

After taking a large drink of the icy drink, Bo replied, "Nah, I got it, but thanks for offering."

Daisy gave him a smile, "I know you had big plans this summer, Bo, but your doing a good job with Jeb back home and Luke sick."

"Thanks, Daisy." Bo said a bite embarassed.

"Things will get better, Sugar. You know you can't keep Luke or Jeb down long." Daisy said as she reached to take the now empty glass back to the house.

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After dinner, Mr. Hibbs meet with Boss Davis as planned in his office. He sat across the desk from the Moore County boss and waited to see what he'd found out.

Boss Davis began, "Well, I hate to inform you that it seems I was correct. You said your daughter hasn't been home since Saturday. Here is a copy of the marriage license between Miss Beverly LeeAnn Hibbs to one, Cooter Davenport, whom I believe would be the new mechanic over at the local garage. It is dated for July, 4th this year."

Mr. Hibbs felt his blood boil. He had told her not to see that grease monkey and here she had thrown everything away and married him!

Boss Davis saw the man before him turn purple. "Of course with the end of the physical year and holiday and all the courthouse staff is just a bit behind in recording this type things. It seems they have alread issued an official sealed copy to Mrs. Davenport."

Mr. Hibbs was confused, "So is my baby girl married or not?"

Boss Davis smiled, "That depends on what you want Sir."

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By dinner time, Luke had seen more clear liquids and Jello than he thought was possible. He managed to get them all down at Jesse's and Doc's insistance and though he didn't feel much like eating, he still felt hungry even if his eyeballs had Jello floating in them!

Word had also gotten around town about Jeb's accident as well as Luke's stay at Doc Applebee's. Bo, Daisy and Jesse had come by to check on Luke at various times today and called he wasn't sure how many times. Luke was thumbing through a Mopar magazine as he looked up when he felt he was being watched. Standing in the doorway of the room was none other than Ruby.

Luke couldn't help feeling just a bit underdressed at the moment in pajama bottoms and a hospital gown. Images of his and Ruby's last night together crossed his mind. Needless to say his body enjoyed the sights both before him now and in his mind.

Before either spoke, Doc Applebee said from behind Ruby, "Feel free to keep Luke there company for awhile. Just be careful that he doesn't over do it or he just might be here the rest of the summer." Doc paused to let that thought sink in just in case this was the female that he believed helped Luke cause his first set back, then added, "I'll be just across the hall if ya'll need anything." Doc turned and went in an office just across the hall purposely leaving the doors open.

Doc's words gave Luke a cold hard reminder of why he was here instead of in his own bed or better yet well on his way to recovering. That reminder managed to cool his jets just a bit.

"Luke what on Earth? Why are you here? I mean shouldn't you be getting better by now?" Ruby asked with genuine concern.

Luke began by saying, "Well, I've over did it a couple of times, then they tell me that being out in the night air as well as in air conditioning coupled with the broken ribs was the perfect recipe for pnemonia."

"Pnemonia?! Oh my gosh! Isn't that serious?" Ruby asked.

Luke nodded grimly, 'yes', "Serious enough that Jesse wouldn't hear of me going home or anywhere else until Doc says so."

Ruby stepped closer to the bed, "You poor, poor Dear." She said with exaggerated expression as she reached for his hand that was free of the IV with one of her hands while her other hand made a beeline for the waistband of his pajamas.

Luke quickly reached for Ruby's hand that was on the prowl and whispered, "We have a chapereon." He nodded his head toward the open door across the hall.

Ruby frowned as she turned toward both open doors. Then gave Luke a questioning look.

"Doc may not know what **exactly** happen the night we went to the lake, but he's got a real good idea or three." Luke said a bit defeated as he continued to explain, "I had a couple ribs that had been cracked that after the lake ended up broken as well as the others."

"Surely your not saying that we, ... I, ... US? Caused, ..." Ruby began to asked but stopped mid-sentence as the look on Luke's face told her that he did mean that what they had done had caused or at least contributed to his condition now. "Oh, Sugar, I'm sorry. Really. Well, I'll just have to make it up to you."

If the night at the lake caused or helped to cause Luke being here, now, Luke was sure that the 'making up for it' was bound to leave him hospitalized if he wasn't in tip top shape for the next round. "Well, now Darlin', ..." Luke felt his body react to his imagination of their next trip to the lake, "I really appreciate that and all, but I think it might just be awhile before I'm up to all that um, ... excitement."

Ruby leaned in close, too close, or at least close enough for Luke to get a birds eye view of her clevage as she whispered in his ear while managing to blow in his ear as she spoke, "Just let me know when your feeling up to it, Sugar." Ruby said as she turned to leave, "Give me a call anytime."

Luke's head felt back against the pillow in total frustration as a low groan escaped his lips. 'This is nearly as bad as being in jail!' Luke thought to himself!

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As Mr. Hibbs drove to his hotel for the night his wallet was a bit lighter but he was feeling a satisfaction beyond compare. Now he'd spend the rest of the night and tomorrow morning completing his part of the plan while Boss Davis took care of his end of things starting bright and early tomorrow morning. The only thing that could make it better for Mr. Hibbs would have been able to have a birds eye view of what was to come tomorrow!

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Thanks for reading!


	89. The Arrest!

Chapter 89

Cooter was surprised to find his bride awake before him and before the alarm clock even thought about going off to wake him for work.

Beverly for some reason hadn't been able to sleep the night before but had layed awake watching her new husband sleep soundly. Now she was using all the tricks in her book to entice Cooter into a morning round of love making as she gently began rubbing her fingernails across his strong chest.

Cooter had never been a fan of waking up earlier than he had to, but his wife's efforts were quickly changing his mind as his hands began to roam her body. A couple hours and several rounds later, Cooter barely heard the alarm clock go off over the sound of his own heart beating in his head as he tried to breath.

Cooter, like the Dukes, had been known to have been with a woman or four but it had never been like it was with his bride. Even the times they had been together before they were married didn't hold a candle to what he was experiencing right now. It took ever bit of willpower that Cooter had to get out of bed and cut the clock off. He still wanted to crawl right back in bed and go again, but he knew that they needed him working and needed the money from the job so instead he headed for the shower.

It wasn't a full minute before Beverly joined her husband intent on making sure that his back was washed thoroughly. One thing soon lead to another and by the time Cooter and Beverly hurried from the shower there would be no time for either to pack Cooter a lunch.

"I can take you to work, then I'll make you a lunch and drop it before time for you to have lunch." Beverly offered as she reached for her purse.

Other than not having lunch or using money to buy a lunch, Cooter saw no other way if he wanted to be on time this morning. "Alright, Honey. Thanks. We need to get gone now though."

Cooter managed to get to the garage just as Wayne was getting out of his truck. Cooter quickly kissed Beverly and headed off to work.

Wayne couldn't help but to tease the newlywed as he came in the garage, "Cutting it a bit close this morning aren't you?"

Cooter took the teasing good naturedly, but couldn't stop the blush as he grinned widely and replied, "Believe me when I tell you that it wasn't like I overslept or anything."

Both men had a good laugh. Wayne couldn't help feeling a bit badly for the unsuspecting man as he handed him a cup of coffee, "That's good to hear. Have a cup of coffee then I reckon you can start wrestling with that engine you rebuilt to get it back into the car."

Cooter gratefully took the cup of coffee and replied, "Alright. Thanks for the coffee." Cooter took a sip of the warm liquid and even though it was mid-summer it still felt and tasted good.

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The sun was shinning brightly as Mr. Hibbs opened the drapes in his hotel room. He had been up extremely late last night getting things in order for today. With everything in place now he just needed to make the one phone call that he dreaded most, the one to his wife. Then there would be nothing to do but wait for his hand to be played out. He'd just sank a lot of his hard earned money into getting his daughter back and he wouldn't stop now.

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Other than Uncle Jesse, Bo and Daisy the only other person that had stopped by to check on Luke had been Rudy. Luke couldn't help but wonder what was up with Cooter. He not only hadn't shown up at the race in Placid County but hadn't even called to check on him. Luke and Cooter had been best of friends for as long as either could remember and it just wasn't like Cooter not to have walked across town square to check on his buddy.

Luke had managed, thanks to Doc's magic, to sleep most of the day away. He turned to check the clock and found the garage had already closed. He'd have to wait until tomorrow to call and check on Cooter himself.

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A normally easy job of picking up an engine and setting it down into a car had turned into a wrestling match from hell. Cooter didn't have the equipment that he had in Hazzard that made this job an easy task. So he was having to make due with the limited equipment that Wayne had to try to get the engine lined up the way he wanted it as he sat it down into place.

Wayne had seen Cooter having trouble getting the engine in the way he wanted so he stepped in the back room and made a phone call. As he came back into the front office he saw his new employee's car pull up out front. The young lady never even blew the horn.

Cooter had finally got the engine set down and picked up a shop rag to wipe his greasy hands up to his elbows as he walked out of the bay to his car, "Hey there Beautiful."

"Hey, yourself, ... ummm, ... handsome. It looks like you've been hard at it this morning." Beverly said noticing more grease and grim on Cooter than was normal.

"Engine was being stubborn about going back where it belonged." Cooter said.

Beverly nodded, "So it's a good thing I made you a couple extra sandwiches. I figured you worked up a bit of an appetite before you got here this morning."

Cooter grinned widely, "Yes, as a matter of fact I did. So what's for dessert?"

Beverly couldn't hold back the blush even though it was only her and Cooter in hearing distance of their conversation. "I'll just have to think of something now won't I?" She wiggled her eyebrows mischievously.

Cooter felt a stirring in his work pants and look at his watch. It was far too early in the day to be having those thoughts. "Honey I hate to run, but I really need to get back to work."

"Alright. I'll see you around five unless you call me." She kissed Cooter long and hard almost as if she felt she'd never see him again.

Cooter knew he needed to hurry, but with a kiss like that he couldn't help but to kiss Beverly back. He watched as Beverly pulled away in his car trying to get his thoughts back on the 454 quadrajet that needed his attention. Cooter readjusted his now tight work pants and went back inside. After tossing his lunch on to the workbench, Cooter began studying the engine to decide where to start hooking the engine back up.

Wayne once again slipped off to the back room and made his second phone call. He hated doing this but his business depended on it.

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Bo couldn't believe his luck as he headed Jesse's pick up off the farm. He was sure there were more fencing nails in the barn, but when he went in the barn to get them he found they were out.

Jesse had suggested he run to town and get more nails before Ruebottoms closed for the day, then he could drop in Doc's and check on Luke and would even have time to drop by the Boar's Nest for something cold before supper if he hurried. Bo was good with hurrying as he headed toward the pickup.

After getting the nails, Bo made a beeline to Doc's. He impatiently asked the receptionist about seeing Luke. After checking with Doc, she sent Bo on his way up to Luke's room.

Luke had managed to get himself calmed down from Ruby's visit a bit earlier, then had dozed off. Bo's heavy footsteps on the stairs had woken Luke from his nap caused more from boredom than anything else.

Bo seen that Luke was appearing to be waking up. Being asleep at this time of day was extremely unusual for any Dukes even if they were sick. "Luke are you alright? You weren't asleep were you?"

Luke reached for the glass of water on the bedside table before answering Bo. His mouth felt as if he'd been eating sand. After taking a large drink of the cold water, Luke replied, "Well, yeah I was asleep until you thundered up the stairs."

Bo look a bit embarrassed, "Sorry. I didn't figure you would be sleeping this time of day."

"There isn't much else to do. It's just a step up from Rosco's Iron Bar Hotel across the square." Luke said.

Before Bo could reply, Doc Appleby said from the door, "Well, I'm sure glad you rate my accommodations **above** the jails. But, I hope you don't make it a habit of staying either place after I get you fixed up and back home."

"Me too, Doc, me too!" Luke said in total agreement.

After nearly an hour of conversation Bo seen that Luke was obviously getting tired so he figured he had better head on out, "Luke I'm going to slide out and let you rest. Keep doing what Doc tells you to do cause our room is way to empty without ya." Bo said trying to keep much of his emotions hidden for Luke's sake.

Luke let him off the hook and tried to lighten the mood, "Drink one for me when you get to the Boar's Nest."

Bo started to reply, but Luke cut him off, "You and I both know the right waitress will hook you up even if I'm not there to cover for you. Just grab a seat near Cooter, ... say have you seen Cooter? He hasn't been over here or nothing."

"I ain't seen hide nor hair of him since we got back, Luke." Bo said, then added, "I'll do some snooping around and let you know what I find out tomorrow."

Luke frowned. He didn't want to wait until tomorrow, but it didn't look like he had much choice, "Alright. Just tell him when you see him that he could show his ugly face over here. After all he did come to see me at the jail, you'd think he could squeeze in a few minutes for me when I'm on this side of the square and all."

Bo grinned, "I'll give it to him with both barrels for you, when I see him. Call the house if you need anything." With that Bo Duke was off on his way to find their friend and cold liquid refreshments.

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Cooter was under the car trying to get the engine to line up with the transmission. It seemed like he'd adjusted the floor jack holding the engine a hundred times already. He was close, very close but it still was off. He'd just about give his eye teeth for the equipment that he had back in Hazzard. Cooter was no stranger to having to do things the hard way, that is the way he had learned at the garage in Hazzard before he and his father had sunk a bundle into making things a lot easier.

Cooter dropped the jack another notch and felt the bolt slide home. He quickly added the second one on the opposite side to hold the engine in place. Just as he had gotten the last bolt tightened up he heard cars sliding into the garage, breaks locking up, door slamming. If he didn't know any better he'd have sworn it was Rosco after Bo and Luke the way the cars pulled in, but that was ridiculous so he kept working. Cooter figured that what ever the commotion was that it didn't involve him.

Seconds later he heard feet scurrying on the cement floor toward the car he was working on. The next thing he heard was a deep voice saying, "Cooter Davenport come out from under the car, now!"

The voice offered no room for argument but Cooter hadn't done anything wrong so he slide the creeper out from under the car. He was greeted by the Sheriff and three deputies armed to the hilt.

The Sheriff had been the one to order him from under the car, now said, "Just keep your hands in sight and get up real slow."

Cooter found that he was a bit stiff from laying in one place so long fighting with the engine so real slow was the only way that he could get up.

"Now, turn around and put your hands on the trunk of the car and spread your legs out as far as you can." The Sheriff ordered.

Cooter wasn't sure if the Sheriff had watched one too many police shows on television or if he'd attended the same training as Sheriff Big Ed Little over in Chickasaw County. Cooter followed the Sheriff's instructions and only now looked up to see Wayne and the other two helpers standing wide eyed by the office door. In there eyes he saw shock, confusion, helplessness but above all he saw shame. Standing where he stood being frisked in his most private places, Cooter was sure they felt shame for him, but Cooter knew he hadn't done anything wrong.

That's when he felt the cold hard steel of the handcuffs bite into his wrists as he was efficiently cuffed behind his back.

The Sheriff began as he was turned toward the awaiting patrol car, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law..."

As they reached the patrol car, Cooter asked, "Sheriff, what are the charges?"

"We'll get to that at the station." The Sheriff said sternly.

Cooter was being placed in the patrol car when he suddenly thought, "Wayne call my wife."

Wayne's only response was, "I really wished that I could."

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Thanks for reading! It looks like ol' Cooter has really done it (whatever IT is) this time! Please review and let me know what you think of the story line.


	90. A Visit to the Moore County Jail

Chapter 90

Cooter thought that Wayne's comment was a bit off but right now he had other things to worry about like the metal cuffs digging into his wrists. Cooter was also a bit concerned that if memory served him right, he may have about twenty dollars in his wallet. The rest, which wasn't a lot, was back at the motel with Beverly. After a short ride up Main Street the Sheriff stopped the patrol car in front of a two story brick building that very well could have been a large home if it weren't for the sign on the porch that read, "Moore County Jail".

Being this far from home with only Beverly for support, not having any idea what he was being charged with and only about twenty bucks to his name, Cooter felt his stomach do somersaults when he saw the jail sign.

With the Sheriff and the deputies so heavily armed, Cooter didn't see any chance of getting away from the men. The unknown also held Cooter where he was. If it was something simple then any resistance could make the situation worse. Cooter knew that for now he'd be doing as he was told even if he didn't like it.

Cooter was directed out of the car and taken through the first floor office area, then he was taken upstairs. Even before they reached the top of the steps Cooter was able to see the iron bars. At the top of the stairs was a locked barred gate much like at the bottom of the stairs in Hazzard County's jail. Once beyond the gate with it relocked, Cooter was uncuffed and directed to empty his pockets, take off his belt and boots.

Cooter asked the deputy who was itemizing his belongings, "When exactly do I get to find out what I'm charged with?"

"Look Mister, I'm sort of what you call a part time deputy. I only get a call if there's a big football game, special events, there warrants to be served or the Sheriff thinks he needs extra muscle with a situation. Otherwise, I'm home tending my farm, so to be right truthful with ya, I really don't know why either of us are here. After you change into this jumpsuit I'll go see what I can find out for you." The all brawn, little brained part time deputy offered.

Cooter nodded. Changing out of his own clothes even if they were a bit on the greasy side was not something Cooter wanted to do. In his mind it meant he was staying and staying was the last thing Cooter wanted to think about right now. Seeing he had little choice in the matter Cooter complied and changed into the black and white striped jumpsuit.

The deputy then directed Cooter over to one of the cells. There were two bunks attached to the left side of the cell with a mattress folded on lower one and a wool blanket. The back of the cell was made of bars. The door to the cell was made out of flat steel bands welded and/or riveted together leaving only small squares about an inch square to look out of.

Soon after the cell door was closed, Cooter realized that there wasn't much to look at out the cell door but the bar enclosed inner hallway. The view from the back of the cell at least let in outside light from the barred windows across another inner hallway. Cooter paced, then cursed, then paced some more.

Just as Cooter was becoming very agitated the Sheriff came to the front cell door, "Now that we've got you all booked in, Mr. Davenport I'll answer your questions."

Cooter barely kept his voice contained to a civil matter, "Why am I here? What was I arrested for?"

The Sheriff calmly said, "Well, I thought most twenty-one year old men knew just how illegal it is to take a fifteen year old female across state lines."

It took a full minute for Cooter to register what the Sheriff was claiming, then he insisted, "Wait just a minute, there Sheriff. Beverly is seventeen, nearly eighteen."

The Sheriff grinned just a might, "That's not what the birth certificate that I have for Beverly LeeAnn Hibbs shows. Now I'm not sure what fake documentation you showed the Justice of the Peace to get him to perform a fraudulent wedding ceremony but I'm sure he will be filling his own charges. You should also know that a fifteen year old child can't be married here without parental permission. That means that your marriage is not legal..." He paused before voicing the clincher, "It is also illegal for a twenty-one year old to have, ... shall we say marital relations with a fifteen year old."

Cooter knew Beverly wasn't any fifteen, but if the Sheriff had a birth certificate saying that she was only fifteen. Cooter was smart enough to know he was in a world of crap!

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Beverly heard strange noises outside the motel room and stepped to the door to see a tow truck hooking up to Cooter's car. She knew that car was Cooter's pride and joy so without thinking she went out the door and began questioning the man at the tow truck, "What are you doing? That's my husband's car! Why are you towing our car? Where are you taking it?"

The man at the controls was just about to reply when the Sheriff and deputy stepped up on either side of Beverly, "I'll have to take that as an admission to car theft Ma'am. You are under arrest."

"Arrest!? What on Earth for? What do you mean car theft? That is my husband's car he's had it a long while now." Beverly ranted.

"It seems the Hazzard Garage, the registered owner of the car has reported it stolen." the Sheriff lied. "And with you claiming possession of it, I have no other choice but to arrest you. Now move along over to my car." he said before he began reading Beverly her rights.

"Wait you don't understand! My husband worked at the Hazzard Garage with his father, but the car is his. You can ask him yourself, he's working at the garage in town." Beverly tried her best to explain as she was being placed in the patrol car.

Once at the Moore County Jail, Beverly was taken into the back downstairs area where female inmates were housed and processed. There she was asked for any identification as well as her marriage license. Beverly handed over the documentation thinking that this would help her situation.

Once her identification was checked and it was verified that Beverly was a minor the Sheriff knew that he could not place her actually in a cell so he opted to only lock the barred gate that separated the processing area and the business offices.

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Having done his part the Sheriff called Boss Davis and reported that both Davenports were at the jail and that the car had been towed.

"Excellent! Excellent! Just hold what you have there. I'll make a phone call and be right over." Boss Davis said.

Boss Davis wasted no time in contacting Mr. Hibbs, "Mr. Hibbs, Sir. We have both your daughter and the young man detained. If you want to meet me at my office, I'll be more than happy to assist you."

"I'll check out and be right there. Thank you, Mr. Davis." Mr. Hibbs let out a relieved sigh before turning to get few items that he had in the hotel room.

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Bo Duke headed into the Boar's Nest. It was too early for the place to be very busy, but there was a few of the regulars who'd stopped in for an after work / pre-dinner beer. Bo headed to a secluded booth and smiled when he saw the waitress on duty. It was nearly a sure fired thing for him to be get a beer anytime he wanted from this waitress.

"Hey there Bo Honey." The waitress smiled.

Bo replied with his famous grin, "Hey there yourself."

The waitress asked just a bit too seductively, "What can I get for you?"

Bo hoped that she thought Luke would be joining him so he ordered, "We'll have a root beer and a beer."

The waitress looked around and didn't see anyone who'd raise a stink so she replied, "Ok, Honey. Just watch it."

"Always." Bo replied as he flashed her his million dollar Duke smile.

When the waitress brought the order back she purposely set the beer down on the other side of the table and the root beer in front of Bo.

"Thanks Sugar. Say you ain't seen Cooter around here today have you?" Bo asked.

"No, can't say that I have, but I know his old man has been looking everywhere for him for the past few days." The waitress said.

Bo frowned, "You mean that he hasn't been around in days?"

"He ain't been here this week while I've been here. I've got to run, Bo." The waitress said as she hurried off to get another table.

Bo reached passed his rootbeer and picked up the beer taking a long healthy sip. _'If Cooter wasn't in Placid for the race on Saturday and he's not been in here all week, ... where in the world could he be?'_ Bo thought to himself.

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Beverly had walked around the barred room wondering and worrying about what was going on. _'Had Cooter's father really reported the car stolen? But, that didn't make any sense either because she had seen the registration. The car was in Cooter's name.'_ Beverly thought.

_'If some how the car had been reported stolen, was Cooter still at work. Would he also be arrested? Who was there to help them if they were both arrested?' _Beverly was nearly at the point of chewing her fingernails when she heard a voice behind her.

"Beverly LeeAnn Hibbs!" Mr. Hibbs addressed his only daughter.

"Father? There has been a dreadful mistake." Beverly said as she stepped to the barred gate that separated her from her father.

Mr. Hibbs nodded his head 'yes', "Yes, my Dear there has been a dreadful mistake. It happened right after I forbid you to see that, ... that greasy monkey! You not only chose to see him but to run off with him and ruin yourself."

Beverly's eyes filled with tears, "But, Father I love him. We love each other. We were married!" She held out her hand to show off her wedding band.

"Girl, it's time you come to your senses and do as I say or I'm afraid that, ... that, ... **husband** of yours, ..." Mr. Hibbs nearly spit out the word like a bad taste, "Will do a lot of hard time at your expense. The cards are in place. It's up to you. You can walk out of here, do as I say and in a reasonable amount of time you and that grease monkey will have forgotten each other and moved on to more suitable company for the both of you."

Beverly crossed her arms, "Never! We did this right. We're husband and wife and you can't change that!"

"Mr. Davis?" Mr. Hibbs said and motioned the man forward.

Boss Davis began showing the young lady the paperwork that they had against her husband fresh of the printing press. "This is a birth certificate showing you to be a mere fifteen years old which makes your young man in a heap of trouble for bringing you across state lines with out your parents permission. It also makes illegal for you to marry without parental permission which makes your marriage illegal, ... so the marital relations that you and your husband have been practicing were also very illegal, ... why that alone is enough to send your husband up river for the next twenty odd years."

Beverly's head was swimming!

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Note of interested:

When I pulled Moore County out of the counties in Tennessee I had no idea that the jail had such a history! The links I found are located on my profile page that I used to get ideas about the lay out of the real Moore County Jail that was built in 1872 and updated in 1893. It held inmates up to 1990 so this should cover Cooter's stay there. Feel free to view the links if you want to see what I saw when writing the description of the jail.

Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you think of the story line.


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